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ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION 


FOR  THE  USE  OF  STUDENTS. 


BY 


REV.   JAMES   C.    PARSONS, 

PRINCIPAL    OF   rUOSPECT    HILL    SCHOOL,    GREENFIELD,    MASS. 


Who  through   long  days  of  labor, 
And  nights  devoid  of  ease, 

Still  heard  in   his  soul  the  music 
Of  wonderful  melodies. 

LONGFELLOW. 


LEACII,   SIIEWELL,   AND   SANBORN. 

BOSTON.  NEW  YORK.  CHICAGO. 


CorvKiGiiT,  1S91, 
Bv  James  C.  Parsons. 


C.  J.  PCTER8  4.  SON, 

Tvl>OOfUPHCM   *H0    EllCTIWTVPtM. 

Hmim  or  BtuwiCK  A  Smith. 


PREFACE. 


This  little  book  is  intended  to  take  its  place  as  one  of  a 
series  for  the  study  of  the  English  Language,  for  pupils  in 
our  higher  institutions  of  learning.  There  seems  no  good 
reason  why  the  young  men  and  women  in  our  schools  should 
be  more  thoroughly  and  intimately  acquainted  with  the  pho- 
netics, the  grammar,  the  rlictoric,  and  the  prosody  of  the 
classical  languages,  than  witli  those  of  their  vernacular.  But, 
unfortunately,  this  is  too  often  the  case,  notwithstanding  the 
constant  multiplication  of  text-books  upon  the  English 
language. 

These  text-books,  for  the  most  part,  lack  perspective,  and 
grasp  of  the  natural  method.  We  need,  first,  a  book  which 
shall  treat  thoroughly,  but  simply,  of  the  phonetic  elements 
of  English,  with  the  laws  of  euphony,  of  roots  and  deriva- 
tion, of  grammatical  forms,  and  of  the  syntactical  and 
idiomatic  structure  of  sentences.  The  next  book  in  the 
series  should  be  an  English  Prose  Composition,  —  not  digni- 
fied by  the  name  of  Rhetoric,  but  devoted  wholly  to  master- 
ing the  various  transformations  of  which  sentences  are  capable, 
to  produce  variety  of  expression.     The  third  book  might  be 

English  Versification,  for  which  the  present  manual  is  offered 

Ui 


iv  PREFACE. 

as  a  sample ;  and  the  fourth  would  be  a  Rhetoric  in  its  most 
comprehensive  form. 

In  preparing  this  book,  the  autlior  lias  been  guided  by  the 
experience  of  many  years  in  the  class-room.  No  attempt  has 
been  made  to  produce  an  exhaustive  treatise  on  the  fascinat- 
ing subject  of  prosody.  The  controversy  of  scholars  as  to 
the  degree  in  which  quaiitity  prevails  as  a  basis  for  English 
rhythm  has  been  studiously  avoided.  It  seems  sufficient  to 
follow  the  prevalent  habit  of  our  best  poets,  as  evidenced  in 
their  utterance  and  their  works,  of  assigning  to  accent  the 
distinguisliing  characteristic  of  English  verse.  Given  this  as 
a  basis,  it  is  possible  to  go  on  and  add  all  the  charms  of 
phonetic  richness  and  dt'i)th  of  which  the  language  is 
capable. 

One  of  the  chief  features  of  the  book  will  l)e  found  in  the 
copiousness  of  examples.  From  tlie  beginning  of  the  study, 
it  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  ear  of  the  student  should  be 
trained  to  detect  all  the  varieties  of  melody  and  harmony,  and 
those  subtler  effects  which  can  be  better  exemplified  than 
described.  For  this  training,  much  dei)ends  upon  the  guidance 
of  the  teacher. 

It  was  at  first  intended  to  append  to  each  chapter  an  exer- 
cise for  the  study  and  practice  of  the  princii)les  contained  in 
it;  but  upon  consideration,  it  was  thought  better  to  leave 
such  a  course  to  the  individuality  of  the  teacher,  with  only 
such  general  suggestions  as  are  embodied  in  the  advice  to 
teaeljors  following  this  jjreface. 

The  need,  to  an  educated  person,  of  familiarity  with  the 
laws  of  verse,  has  received  but  inafleqimtc  attention  in  our 


PREFACE.  V 

courses  of  study.  It  is  true,  that  the  feeling  for  rhythmic 
expression  is  born,  not  made.  But  whoever  is  capable  of 
understanding  and  reading  correctly  the  best  prose  in  our 
literature,  is  capable  also  of  giving  a  proper  rendering  of  our 
higher  poetry,  with  the  same  amount  of  attention  to  the  laws 
of  rhythm  and  metre. 

Especially  is  such  study  important  to  those  who  seek 
expression  of  their  own  thoughts  in  prose  or  verse.  The 
vocabulary  in  English  is  essentially  the  same  in  poetry  as  in 
prose.  "  Our  prosody,"  says  Henry  Reed,  in  his  lectures  on 
English  Literature,  "seldom  if  ever  disqualifies  words  on 
account  of  their  sound,  whereas  in  the  Latin,  as  has  been 
ascertained,  one  word  out  of  every  eight  is  excluded  from  its 
chief  metres  by  the  rules  of  its  prosody.  The  study  of 
English  poetry,  being  thus  in  closer  affinity  with  the  prose, 
admits  of  an  important  use  in  the  formation  of  a  good  prose 
style.  A  mind  as  earnestly  practical  as  Dr.  Franklin's  ob- 
served this,  and  he  recommended  the  study  of  poetry  and  the 
writing  of  verse  for  this  purpose ;  it  was  one  of  the  sources  of 
his  own  excellent  English." 

Even  for  the  sake  of  the  few,  in  each  generation,  who  are 
favored  with  the  gift  of  song,  we  may  well  afford  to  offer  the 
advantages  of  such  a  study  in  our  regular  courses  upon 
language.  If  one  of  the  uses  of  teaching  music  and  drawing 
in  our  public  schools  is  the  opportunity  afforded  to  the  fortu- 
nate ones  to  discover  their  gift  and  to  cultivate  it,  may  we 
not  claim  the  same  office  for  the  study  of  verse  ?  Who  can 
say  what  young  soul  may  even  now  be  born  among  us,  who, 
"  mute   and   inglorious "   else,  may  be  thus   stimulated  and 


tI  rKEFACE. 

informed  to  use  his  dawning  powers,  and  who  may  in  future 

years  pay  the  tribute  to  our  schools  which  Bryant  rendered  to 

his  father: 

"  Who  t4iught  my  youth 

The  art  of  verso,  and  in  the  bud  of  life 

Offered  me  to  the  Muses." 

J.  C.  P. 
Gkke:<kikli>,  January,  18UL 


TO    TEACHERS. 


Two  purposes  were  had  in  view  in  the  preparation  of  this 
manual :  first,  study  of  the  forms  of  verse ;  then,  practice  upon 
those  forms.  "We  will  consider  them  separately,  although 
they  may  be  carried  on  simultaneously. 

First,  the  study.  From  the  first,  the  pupil  should  be 
expected  to  search  for  additional  examples  of  every  form  of 
language  mentioned  in  the  book.  Learning  and  reciting  the 
definitions  and  the  rules,  he  should  also  furnish  an  example 
of  each,  not  only  from  the  book,  but  also  of  his  own  discovery. 
To  begin  with,  some  practice  should  be  had  in  reading  simple 
prose,  to  catch  the  significance  of  accent  and  emphasis ;  then 
rhythmical  prose ;  then  rhythm  reduced  to  regular  metre. 
The  reading  should  embrace  longer  extracts  than  those  given 
in  the  book,  for  the  sake  of  getting  the  full  swing  of  the  style. 
It  would  be  well  to  have  one  example,  at  least,  of  each  form, 
committed  to  memory  and  recited.  Under  Variety  of  Ehythm, 
instances  should  be  found  of  substitution,  elision,  and  the 
rest.  In  Variety  of  Metre,  additional  examples  should  be 
given  of  each  kind.  For  Rhyme,  besides  the  method  already 
proposed,  we  quote  the  following  suggestion  of  Dr.  W.  J. 
Rolfe,  in  his  Hints  to  Teachers :    **  The  teacher  may  give 


vm  TO  TEACH BIIS. 

interest  to  this  subject  by  asking  tlie  pupils  if  there  are 
English  words  (not  including  i)roper  names  of  persons,  places, 
etc.),  for  which  no  rhyme  can  be  found ;  and  if  so,  to  look  up 
examples  of  them  (like  silver,  squirrel,  s/iuduw,  j)la7iet,^lbert, 
beetle,  statue,  trellis,  April,  August,  temple,  virtue,  forest,  jioet, 
open, proper,  almond,  bayonet,  something,  nothing,  etc.).  Words 
which  have  only  one  rhyme  are  also  curious ;  like  peojile 
(steeple),  anguish,  winter,  hornet,  hatchet,  mountain,  darkness, 
blackness,  votive,  etc.  It  must  be  understood  that  single 
words  are  required  in  all  cases;  not  combinations  of  words, 
like  catch  it  to  hatchet,  or  hurt  you  to  virtue."  In  the  list  of 
words  to  which  710  rhymes  can  be  found.  Dr.  Kolfe  intends, 
of  course,  perfect  rhymes;  for  some  of  our  best  poets  have 
used  imperfect  rhymes  for  some  of  those  words;  for  instance, 
find  what  poet  has  quarrel  to  rhyme  with  squirrel,  meadow 
with  shadow,  sorest  with  forest.  Also  find  the  words  which 
rhyme  with  the  last  list  given,  and,  if  possible,  any  use  of 
them  in  the  poets.  In  the  chapters  on  Alliteration  and  Tone- 
Color,  let  genuine  examples  of  each  be  studied  and  read  with 
such  appreciation  of  the  feeling  a.s  to  bring  out  the  full 
significance  of  the  sounds.  Let  the  subject  of  Heading  Verso 
receive  the  attention  it  deserves.  I'assages  of  considerable 
length,  of  the  more  usual  forms,  should  be  read  in  class,  first 
for  naturalness  of  expression,  and  then  for  analysis.  Ex- 
amples of  lyric  verse,  of  unusual  metres,  should  then  be  taken 
up.  Specimens  of  the  classical,  foreign,  and  humorous  forma 
should  be  sought  and  analyzed. 

Secondly,  practiire.     Side  by  sid*;  with  this  study,  should 
go  jiractiee  in  the  conii>osition  of  verse,  which  should  follow 


Ta  TEACnEKS.  IX 

prose  composition  as  a  part  of  the  regular  course  for  every 
well-educated  person.  There  are  many  ways  in  which  this 
practice  may  be  given.  Single  lines  of  each  kind  of  rhythm 
,and  metre,  from  iambic  to  dactylic,  from  monometer  to  octam- 
eter,  should  be  made  by  the  pupil.  Later,  a  stanza  of  each 
may  be  required.  Preparatory  to  original  work,  facility  of 
construction  may  be  cultivated  by  giving  dissected  selections 
to  be  re-combined  in  their  proper  order.  For  instance,  let 
the  teacher  take  a  passage  of  iambic  pentameter  from  Paradise 
Lost,  or  of  dactylic  hexameter  from  Longfellow,  and  transpose 
phrases  and  clauses,  so  as  to  break  up  the  rhythmical  order, 
and  give  it  to  the  class  to  be  reconstructed.  Again,  give  an 
extract  with  omitted  epithets  or  phrases,  thus  changing  the 
metre,  to  be  restored  to  the  original  form.     Thus  : 

"When,  as  returns  this  solemn  clay, 
Man  comes  to  meet  his  —  God, 
What  rites,  what  honors,  shall  he  pay  ? 
How  spread  his  —  praise  abroad  ?  " 

Once  more,  try  the  exercise  named  bouts  rimes,  or  "rhymed 
endings."  In  this,  the  final  rhymes  of  a  poem  are  given, — 
also  the  scheme  of  the  verse,  and  the  subject,  —  for  the  pupil 
to  reproduce  the  poem,  or  one  similar  to  it.     Thus : 

WOODS    IN    WINTER. 

u  '  I  u  '  I  o  '  I  u  chill 

u  '  I  u  '  I  ^j  '  I  i-i  gale 
u  '  I  u  '  I  u  '  I  o  hill 

u  '  I  u  '  I  w  '  I  w  vale. 

Then,  as  a  beginning  of  original  work,  assign  a  short  passage 
of  prose  to  be  turned  into  verse  of  any  kind  which  may  be 


X  TO  TEACH EIIS. 

specified.  For  example,  the  Song  of  Solomon  ii.  11-13,  to  be 
converted  into  iambic  pentameter.  In  this  way,  the  pupil 
may  be  gradually  led  on  to  undertake  metrical  compositiun 
for  which  he  shall  furnish  his  own  material.  Then,  let  abun- 
dant practice  be  given  in  all  the  forms  of  verse  which  are  laid 
before  him  in  this  book.  As  an  incentive  to  the  teacher,  the 
author  is  glad  to  testify  to  very  creditable  productions  as  the 
regular  work  of  pupils  in  such  a  course  as  is  here  indicated. 


NOTE   TO   THE   SECOND  EDITION. 

For  corrections  and  improvements  in  this  second  edition,  the 
author  gratefully  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to  the  criti- 
cisms and  suggestions  of  Dr.  W.  J.  Rolfo  of  Cambridge,  l*rof. 
A.  11.  Tolman  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  Prof.  .f.  H.  Gilmoro 
of  the  University  of  Rochester,  Mr.  Brander  Mattliews,  Lec- 
turer at  Columbia  College,  Prof.  L.  1?.  II.  Briggs  of  Harvard 
University,  and  Dr.  J.  Schip^K-'r  of  Vienna,  author  of  "  Eng- 

lische  Mt'trik." 

J.  C.  P. 

GllBEMFIKLD,  JnUj,  18M. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     INTRODUCTORY 1 

Prose. — Verse. —  Quantity. —  Stress. —  Rhythmical  Prose. 
—  Rhythm.  —  Metre.  —  Alliteration.  —  Rhyme.  —  Tone- 
Color. 


II.     RHYTHM 5 

Accent.  —  Emphasis.  —  Proclitics  and  Enclitics.  —  Unit 
of  Rhythm.  —  Names  of  Feet.  —  Character  of  Rhythms. 

III.  METRE 12 

Examples  of  Metres,  from  Mononieter  to  Octameter,  in 
each  of  the  Four  Rhythms. 

IV.  VARIETY   IN  RHYTHM 18 

Substitution.  —  Elision.  —  Slurring.  —  Extra-rhythmical 
Syllables.  —  Rests.  —  Pauses.  —  Caesura  of  the  Foot.  — 
Caesura  of  the  Line.  —  Run-on  Lines.  —  End-stopped  Lines. 

V.    THE  STANZA 33 

Couplet. —  Triplet. —  Stanza. —  Quatrain. —  Hymn  Metres. 
—  Stanzas  of    five,   six,   seven,   eight,  and  nine  Lines. — 
Rime  Royal,  or  Short  Chaucerian.  —  Spenserian.  —  Long 
Chaucerian.  — Sonnet.  — Otic, 
xi 


xn  TAULE   OF  CONTEXTS. 

CIIAPTEK  PACK 

VI.     lUlYME 43 

Use  of  tlic  Term.  —  HIank  Verse.  —  Proper  llliyino,  its 
Rcquirouiouts.  —  Identical  Kliynio.  —  Masculine  and  Femi- 
nine. —  Imperfect.  —  Assonance.  —  End-lihymc.  —  Middle 
Rhyme.  —  Rhyme  Order.  —  Complicated. 

VII.     ALLITERATION 51 

Anglo-Saxon.  —  Early  English.  —  Its  Ahusc. —  False  Use. 

—  Disguised.  —  Examples. 

VIII.     QUANTITY M 

Early  Usage.  —  Music  and  Speech.  —  Length  of  Syllables. 

—  Length  of  Measures.  —  Modern  Uasis  of  Rhythm.  —  Use 
of  Quantity  in  English. 

IX.    TONE-COLOR Gl 

Imitation.  — Correspondence.  —  Suggestivcncss.  —  Signif- 
icance of  Certain  Sounds.  —  Examples. 

X.     ON   READING   VEi:SE OS 

Naturalness.  —  Accent.  —  Emphasis.  —  Unequal  Stress. 

—  Cuisural  Pause.  —  End  of  Lines.  —  Practice.  —  Analysis. 

XI.     DEVELOPMENT  OF  EN(iLl.SII  FORMS         ...      70 

Three  Periods:  —  Anglo-Saxon,  Norman,  New  English.  — 
Saxon  Couplets.  —  French  Riming  Couplets  and  Alexan- 
drine. —  Latin  Septenary.  —  Poulter's  Measure.  —  Railads 
and  Lyrics.  —  Iambic  Pentameter.  —  Its  Law.s.  —  Cbauecr. 

—  .Surrey. —  Marlowe.  —  .Shake^peuru.  — Analysis  of  Millon, 
Tennyson,  lirowning. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  Xiu 

CHAPTEE  PACK 

XII.     IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  METRES  .        .        .105 

Dactylic  Hexameter.  —  Elegiac.  —  Hendecasyllabics.  — 
Alcaics.  —  Sapphics.  —  Septenarius.  —  Saturnian.  —  Chori- 
ambic.  —  Galliambic. 

XIII.  FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE 115 

Ballade.  —  Rondel.  —  Rondeau.  —  Roundel.  —  Kyrielle. 
—  Pantoum.  —  Virelai.  —  Virelai  Nouveau.  —  Rondeau  Re- 
double. —  Sicilian  Octave.  —  Sestina.  —  Villanelle.  —  Trio- 
let. —  Chain  Verse.  —  Chant  Royal. 

XIV.  COMIC  FORMS 131 

Ballad  Form,  —  Recitative.  —  Short  Trochaic.  —  Dactylic 
with  Anacrusis.  —  Trochaic  Tetrameter.  —  Dactylic.  — 
Anapaistic.  —  Irish  Form.  —  Negro  Minstrel.  —  Nonsense 
Verses.  —  Csesural  Pause.  —  Double  and  Triple  Rhymes.  — 
Echo.  —  Parody.  —  Dialect. 

APPENDIX 141 

Definitions.  —  Acrostic.  —  Alliteration.  —  Antiphon.  — 
Ballade.  —  Cento.  —  Courting  in  the  City.  —  A  Pastoral.  — 
Palinode.  —  Poems  within  Poems.  — Queer  Devices.  —  Vi- 
relai Nouveau.  —  Villanelle.  —  Tail-Rhyme  Stanza. 

INDEX 157 


ENGLISH  YEESIFICATIOl^. 


CHAPTER  I. 
INTEODUCTOET. 

1.  Language,  spoken  or  written,  may  take  the  form  either 
of  prose  or  verse.  Prose  is  the  form  of  ordinary  speech. 
Verse  differs  from  this  chiefly  in  a  certain  regularity  of 
movement. 

2.  This  regularity  of  movement  is  called  Rhythm.  Rhythm, 
in  verse,  is  the  occurrence  of  similar  phenomena  of  sound  at 
regular  intervals. 

3.  In  the  Greek  and  Latin  languages,  the  chief  feature 
which  produced  rhythm  was  the  length  or  duration  of  sound. 
At  regular  intervals,  the  voice  was  drawn  out  upon  the  long 
syllables,  as  in  a  musical  chant.  This  is  called  Qu^^jsttity. 
It  will  be  more  fully  explained  in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

4.  In  English,  rhythm  is  the  occurrence,  at  regular  in- 
tervals, of  sounds  having  more  Force,  or  loudness,  than  the 
others. 

5.  This  force,  or  loudness,  is  called  Stress.  Stress  is  of  two 
kinds.  Accent  and  Emphasis.     Accent  is  the  force  which  is 

1 


2  ENfJLISII    VERSIFICATION. 

given  to  ono  syllable  in  a  word  more  than  to  the  otliois, 
to  call  attention  to  it  as  significant.  Thus :  in-dcl-i-blc. 
Emphasis,  in  the  same  manner,  is  emjjloyed  to  call  attention 
to  one  or  more  words  in  a  scntenco,  as  inure  important  than 
the  rest.  Thus:  Wfuit  in  the  world  are  r/oti  do-ing?  Vmxo 
three  words  receive  the  emphasis,  and  in  the  last  one,  the 
syllable  do  receives  both  the  accent  and  emphasis,  thus  having 
an  extra  stress. 

6.  In  prose,  the  words  generally  follow  any  order  which 
most  naturally  expresses  the  thought,  without  regard  to  the 
number  or  frequency  of  the  accents.  Thus,  in  this  sentence 
from  Dickens's  "  Old  Curiosity  Shop : "  "  Night  is  generally  my 
time  for  w.'ilking.  Siive  in  the  country,  I  seldom  go  out  until 
dfter  dark."  Here  no  regularity  is  observable  in  the  occur- 
rence of  the  stress.     This  is  simple  prose. 

7.  lint  when  the  thoughts  become  animated  by  feeling  or 
imagination,  there  is  a  tendency  to  express  them  in  a  riiythmi- 
cal  form.  Thus,  in  another  passage  from  the  same  work  of 
Dickens:  "When  Death  strikes  down  the  innocent  and  young, 
from  eceri/  friijile  funn  from  ir/itrk  he  lets  the  pihitinr/  spirit 
free,  a  hundred  virtues  Hsc,  in  shapes  of  mercy,  charity  and 
love,  to  walk  the  earth  and  bless  it."  In  the  passage  italicized, 
the  stress  occurs  on  every  alternate  syllable. 

Again :  *'  Faint  streaks  of  purple  soon  blushed  aMng  the 
sky;  tlie  whole  celestial  concave  w:is  filled  with  the  inllowing 
tides  of  the  morning  light."  —  luliranl  Ererctt. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  sentence,  if  we  omit  soon,  or  change 
purple  to  lifjht,  we  have  unbroken  rhythm,  i)roduced  by  the 
occurrcnco  of  the  stress  on  every  alternate  syllable. 

Once  morn:  "  Agiiin  the  jK-aling  organ  heaves  its  thrilling 
thunders,  compressing  uir  into  nui.sic  and  rolling  it  forth  up(»n 
the  86ul."  —  Washington  Irving. 

In  the  first  part  of  the  sentence,  the  stress  falls  on  every 


INTllODUCTORY.  3 

second  syllable ;  in  the  last  part  (if  we  change  upon  to  on)  it 
falls  upon  every  third  syllable. 

Tije  three  sentences  quoted  in  this  section  are  examples  of 
rhythmical  prose.  Neither  can  properly  be  called  verse.  To 
constitute  verse,  not  only  rhythm  is  needed,  but  Metre. 

8.  Metre  is  the  arrangement  of  rhythmical  language  in 
portions  of  a  determinate  length.  Rhythmical  prose  might 
run  on  indefinitely,  with  only  such  break  as  would  be  required 
by  the  rhetorical  divisions  of  the  sentence.  It  would  still  be 
rhythmical,  but  not  metrical.  Metre  is  a  measured  portion  of 
rhythm. 

Its  first  and  simplest  division  is  that  of  the  Line.  The 
length  of  the  line  is  determined  by  the  number  of  accents, 
which  may  vary  from  one  to  eight.  The  metre  is  named 
accordingly. 

The  next  division  of  Metre  is  that  of  the  Stanza.  It  con- 
sists of  a  group  of  Lines,  varying  in  number  from  two  upwards, 
and  bound  together  by  a  certain  organic  unity. 

9.  Besides  rhythm  and  metre,  other  elements  contribute  to 
the  charm  of  verse.  The  ear  is  pleased  with  harmony  of  tones. 
The  repetition  of  the  same  or  similar  sounds  was  early  seized 
upon  to  produce  this  effect.  This  similarity  may  occur  only 
incidentally  and  irregularly,  serving  merely  as  an  ornament; 
or  it  may  be  used  as  an  aid  in  marking  the  rhythm,  or  in  bind- 
ing the  lines  together  into  the  organic  unity  of  the  Stanza. 
The  earliest  form  in  which  this  element  occurred  in  English 
is  known  as  Alliteration. 

10.  Alliteration.  In  Anglo-Saxon  and  Old  English,  this 
consisted  in  the  repetition  of  the  same  or  similar  consonant  or 
vowel  sounds  at  the  beginning  of  several  of  the  most  emphatic 
syllables  in  the  line.  It  served  both  to  mark  the  rhythm,  and 
to  bind  together  the  two  halves  of  the  line.     In  later  times, 


4  ENGLLSII    VEliSlFlCATION. 

the  strict  rules  have  been  disregarded,  and  the  term  aUiteration 
is  applied  to  the  general  predominance  of  similar  initial  sounds 
in  any  passage  of  verse. 

11.  EiiYME.  This  came  into  use  later  than  alliteration  in 
Englisli  Verse.  It  is  sometimes  called  End-rhyme  to  distin- 
guish it  from  alliteration.  It  is  similarity  of  sounds  at  the 
end  of  words  instead  of  at  the  beginning.  It  was  not  com- 
monly emploj'ed  in  the  ancient  classical  languages,  but  is  very 
generally  used  in  modern  verse,  both  as  an  ornament  and  as  a 
means  of  uniting  lines  together  in  a  stanza. 

12.  A.ssoNANCE.  This  is  a  modified  form  of  rhyme,  in  which 
there  is  not  a  complete  resemblance  between  the  closing  sylla- 
bles of  words,  as  respects  their  final  consonants,  but  the  simi- 
larity is  wholly  in  the  vowel  sound. 

13.  Tone-Color.  A  still  more  subtle  element  of  beauty  in 
verse  is  found  in  the  correspondence  between  the  rpiality  of 
the  sounds  employed  and  the  sentinu'nt  ex})ressed.  This  may 
be  merely  an  imitation  of  sounds  in  nature,  or  it  may  be  an 
indefinite  suggestion  of  certain  feelings  by  the  use  of  the 
appropriate  consonant  or  vowel  sound.  Thus  in  l*oe's  de- 
scription of  the  fire-bells : 

"  How  llioy  clang  and  clash  and  roar, 
What  a  horror  Ihoy  outpour 
On  the  busoiu  of  the  palpitating  air  1" 

Each  of  these  suljects  will  be  fully  treated  in  its  appropriate 
chapter. 


EHYTHM. 


CHAPTER   II. 
EHYTHM. 

1.  As  Rhythm  is  the  most  important  feature  of  verse,  it  is 
necessary,  first  of  all,  to  understand  its  nature,  and  catch  its 
spirit.  To  appreciate  the  external  charm  of  poetry,  one  must 
be  susceptible  to  the  grace  of  all  swaying  movements  in 
nature. 

2.  Examples  of  these  are  found  everywhere  about  us  and 
within  us ;  in  the  rise  and  fall  of  leafy  branches  in  the  spring- 
time ;  in  the  winding  curves  of  the  river,  hollowing  out  its 
banks  to  the  right  and  to  the  left ;  in  the  rolling  in  of  the 
billows  toward  the  shore ;  and,  as  if  in  response  to  these,  the 
beating  of  our  hearts,  felt  with  regular  pulsations  in  all  parts 
of  our  bodies. 

Thou  canst  not  wave  thy  staff  in  air, 

Or  dip  thy  paddle  in  the  lake, 
But  it  carves  the  bow  of  beauty  there, 

And  the  ripples  in  rhymes  the  oar  forsake. 

—  Evierson. 

3.  Rhythm,  in  its  most  comprehensive  sense,  is  the  recur- 
rence of  similar  phenomena  at  regular  intervals  of  space  or 
time,  thus  showing  itself  to  the  eye  or  the  ear.  A  force  is 
exerted,  and  then  spends  itself.  The  wave  swells  and  then 
sinks,  making  a  crest  and  a  hollow,  visible  to  the  eye.  A 
succession  of  crests  and  hollows  forms  a  rhytlim.  So  of  the 
voice  ;  it  pulsates  loudly  and  then  softly,  and  the  succession 
of  loud  and  soft  syllables  forms  a  rhythm. 


6  ENGLISH   VEr.SIFICATION. 

4.  In  tlie  earliest  times,  this  resjjonse  of  man  to  nature  gave 
rise  to  dance  and  song,  marking  off  the  time  into  regular 
intervals,  in  obedience  to  a  natural  instinct.  The  alternate 
beating  of  the  foot  served  as  an  accompaniment  and  measure 
of  the  movements  of  the  voice.  So  it  happens  that  the  first 
literature  thought  worthy  of  preserving  was  in  the  form  of 
verse  rather  than  of  prose. 

5.  But  rhythmic  movement  is  determined  b}'  law,  as  well  in 
human  language  as  in  outward  nature.  To  learn  these  laws, 
in  English  verse,  we  must  study  the  nature  of  Stuess,  or  force, 
as  employed  to  give  significance  to  speech.  Stress,  as  wo 
have  before  learned,  is  of  two  kinds,  Accent  and  Emphasis. 

ACCENT. 

6.  If  we  notice  carefully  the  speech  of  others,  we  shall 
observe  that  we  catch  the  meaning  chiefly  by  means  of  certain 
syllables  ami  words,  which  are  more  prominent  than  the  rest. 
The  intervening  syllables  are  comparatively  obscure.  The 
prominent  syllable  in  a  word  is  made  so,  because  it  contains  the 
I)rinoipal  idea  in  the  word.  It  is  said  to  be  accented.  Thus: 
in-del-i-ble.  Here  the  .syllable  del,  meaning  to  blot  out,  is  the 
root  idea  of  the  word,  and  is  accented. 

7.  But  the  unaccented  syllables  are  also  of  some  importance. 
They  tell  what  is  to  be  done  with  the  root  idea.  The  word 
indtdlblc  means  not  to  be  blotted  out.  Therefore,  the  unaccented 
syllables  can  never  be  wholly  neglected  in  speech.  The 
attention  of  the  speaker  and  hearer,  while  directed  chiefly  to 
the  jiocented  syllable,  must  also  carry  the  unaccented  syllables 
which  are  necessary  to  modify  its  ujeaning.  Each  accented 
syllable  carries  one  or  more  unaccented  syllables  as  modifiers. 

8.  But  to  give  attention  to  the  strong  syllables  and  the 
weak  ones  at  the  same  time,  requires  effort,  and  this  effort  has 
its  limits.     It  has  been  found  that  it  is  not  easy  to  jtronounce 


RHYTHM.  7 

or  to  hear  more  than  two  unaccented  syllables  attached  to  an 
accented  one,  whether  they  come  before  or  after  it.  There- 
fore, the  accent  in  any  word  cannot  easily  be  placed  farther 
back  than  the  antepenult.  If  it  should  be  placed  farther 
back,  either  some  unaccented  syllable  that  follows  must  be 
slurred,  or  obscured,  in  pronunciation,  or  a  secondary  accent 
must  fall  on  some  one  of  the  following  syllables.  Thus,  if  we 
accent  the  first  syllable  of  cemetery,  "we  must  either  pronounce 
it  cemefry,  or  cemetery.  In  the  word  unconstitutionality,  we 
find  three  accents,  with  single  unaccented  syllables  intervening. 

9.  Each  accented  syllable,  then,  may  carry  with  it  not  more 
than  two  unaccented  syllables.  If  these  follow  it,  they  are 
called  enclitics,  from  a  Greek  word  meaning  to  lean  iqjon.  If 
they  go  before  it,  they  are  called  j^^'oclitics,  meaning  leaning 
forward. 

EmPHASIS. 

10.  The  same  principle  which  applies  to  syllables  in  a  word 
is  applicable  also  to  words  in  a  sentence.  Certain  words  in  a 
sentence  are  more  important  than  others,  and  are  made  notice- 
able by  stress  of  voice.  This  stress  is  called  Emphasis.  Such 
words  are  usually  nouns,  adjectives,  and  verbs  ;  connected  by 
less  important  words,  such  as  conjunctions  and  prepositions, 
which  do  not  receive  any  stress. 

11.  Between  accent  and  emphasis,  this  difference  is  observ- 
able. The  place  of  the  accent  in  a  word  is  generally  fixed  by 
the  prevalent  usage  of  the  time.  Whereas  the  place  of 
einphasis  in  a  sentence  varies  somewhat  with  the  habit  of  the 
individual  speaker,  or  with  his  conception  of  the  relative 
importance  of  the  thoughts  or  feelings  expressed. 

12.  But  wherever  the  emphasis  may  fall  in  a  sentence,  the 
same  general  law  holds  good  as  in  accent,  that  a  strong 
syllabic  cannot  ciisily  carry  with  it  more  than  two  weak 
syllables,  before  or  after  it. 


8  ENGLISH   VKIiSlFICATlON. 

13.  Tlierefore,  if  rhythm,  in  English,  is  produced  by  the 
stress  of  voice  falling  at  regular  intervals,  its  limits  are 
determined  by  this  general  law.  It  will  consist  of  a  succes- 
sion of  accented  syllables  fulloiced  each  by  one  or  two  unac- 
cented, or  preceded  by  one  or  two  unaccented.  To  compare 
it  with  the  waves  of  the  sea,  it  will  be  a  series  of  crests 
subsiding  into  hollows,  or  a  series  of  hollows  rising  into 
crests. 

14.  Khythm,  being  thus  regular,  is  capable  of  being 
measured.  One  of  the  regular  intervals  will  constitute  the 
nnit  of  rhythm.  It  can  be  measured  from  the  beginning  of 
one  stress  to  the  beginning  of  the  next;  or  from  the  end 
of  one  stress  to  the  end  of  the  next. 


Thus: 
Or: 


15.  As  an  accented  syllable  may  carry  with  it  either  one  or 
two  unaccented,  the  uikit  of  rhythm  may  consist  of  either  two 
or  three  syllables.  If  it  consists  of  two,  it  may  bo  called 
double  movement,  as  is  marked  in  the  preceding  section.  If 
it  consists  of  three  syllables,  it  may  be  called  triple  move- 
ment. 

Thus  :'^ou|^ww|^>^^j|'^uw| 
Or :       uu^|v-ii-i^|ou'^|wi.j^| 

In  subsequent  marking  of  rhythm,  the  stressed  syllables 
will  have  the  usual  sign  for  accent,  and  the  other  syllables 
will  bo  left  unmark(;d  except  in  special  cases. 

16.  'i'lie  unit  of  rhythm  is  commonly  called  a  foot.  It  will 
Ite  seen  that  there  are  four  ]>rincipal  kinds  of  feet  —  two  of 
double  movement,  and  two  of  triple  movcmont. 

Thus,  of  double  movement:    |  '  o     |  or  |  v.;  '      | 
Of  trii)k'  movement :  |  '  .^  >^  |  or  |  w  w  '  | 


RHYTHM.  » 

17.  For  convenience,  the  ancient  names  of  the  feet  are  still 
employed;  always  with  the  understanding  that  we  are  speak- 
ing of  accented  and  unaccented,  instead  of  long  and  short 
syllables. 

The  iambus  may  be  thus  represented :    |  u  '     |  as,  alone. 
The  trochee  may  be  thus  represented  :   |  '  u     |  as,  onivarcl. 
The  anapaest  may  be  thus  represented :  |  w  u  '  |  as,  intei'vene. 
The  dactyl  may  be  thus  represented :      |  '  u  u  |  as,  delicate. 

18.  Other  feet  are  also  possible.  In  marking  time  Avith  the 
feet,  in  marching,  instead  of  making  each  alternate  stroke  a 
heavy  one,  as  is  the  custom,  it  is  possible  to  emphasize  every 
stroke.  Carrying  the  analogy  into  verse,  we  have  a  unit  of 
rhythm  in  double  movement,  with  both  syllables  accented. 

Thus  we  have  the  spondee :  |  ' '  |  as,  amen. 

Again,  in  marching,  the  heavy  stroke,  or  the  tap  of  the 
drum  Avhich  designates  it,  may  be  intermitted,  for  a  moment, 
the  movement  being  carried  on,  in  the  mind,  during  the 
interval.  Applying  this  principle  to  verse,  the  unit  of  rliythm 
may  lose  the  accent  occasionally. 

Thus  we  have  the  pyrrhic :  |  u  u  |  as,  in  the. 

19.  Still  other  types  may  be  formed.  The  unit  of  rhythm 
may  consist  of  an  accented  syllable  with  an  unaccented  pre- 
ceding and  following. 

Thus  we  have  the  amphibrach  :  |  u  ' «--  |  endurance. 

Or,  in  a  different  order,  the  amphimacer :  |  '  u  '  |  give  me  life. 

We  find  even  the  choriambus  :  |  '  u  u  '  |  over  the  sea. 

This  last  is  a  compound  of  trochee  (or  choree)  and  iambus. 

20.  As  the  character  of  a  rhythm  cannot  be  seen  in  a  single 
foot,  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  here  an  example  of  each. 
Double  rhythm,  is,  in  general,  a  staid  and  stately  movement. 

The  ciir  |  few  tolls  |  the  kin'll  |  of  part  |  ing  ihiy.  | 

—  Gray. 


10  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

Triple  rhytlim  is  more  animated  and  graceful. 

So  light  I  to  the  croup  |  the  fair  lu  |  ily  he  swiing;  | 
So  hghl  I  to  the  sad  |  die  before  |  her  he  sprung.  | 

—  Scott. 

Again,  iambic  and  trochaic  rhythms  differ  from  each  other. 

The  former  is  more  calm  and  sustained : 

One  sweet  |  ly  sol  |  euin  thought.  | 

—  Phabe  Cary. 

The  latter  is  more  energetic  and  forcible : 

6nvvanl,  |  Christian  |  soldiers.  | 

—  Ilaring  Oould. 

"The  trochee  starts  forward  from  impulse,  the  iambus 
pauses  for  reflection."  —  Hodgson. 

The  spondee  gives  dignity  and  solemnity. 

Roll  6n,  I  thou  dC-ep  |  and  dark  |  blue  6  |  ccan,  roll.  | 

—  liyron. 

The  following  is  the  rhythm  given  by  the  anapiest: 

Where  the  cit  |  ron  and  61  |  ive  are  fair  |  est  of  fniits.  | 

—  nyron. 

*    '  IJird  of  the  |  wilderness,  | 

lilytliesonift  and  |  cumberless.  | 
Amphibrach  (occasional):  —iiogg. 

No  pearl  ev  |  er  lay  un  |  der  Oman's  |  green  wdtcr.  | 

—  Moore. 

This  line  may  also  be  scanned  as  anapsestic ;  see  i)age  IG. 
Amphimacer  (as  an  occasional  substitute) : 

Tiikc  the  ht'Im,  |  l(\id  the  line,  |  siivc  the  squad  |  ron,  cried  | 

the  chief.  | 

—  Ilrowning. 

Choriambus  (occasional) ; 
Love,    what  |  ailod     thee    to     It'ave  |  life    that    w.as    made  |  lovely    wo 
thought  I  with  love?  -Su-iubume. 

21.  As  a  liclj)  toward  remembering  the  name  and  character 
of  the  difft'rf'nt  tinits  of  rhythm,  it  may  be  widl  to  commit  to 
memory  the  foUcjwing: 

Tr<'»clioc  I  trips  from  |  l^ng  to  |  sliort; 
From  long  to  lung  in  .solcinn  sort 


RHYTHM.  11 

Slow  Spon  I  dee  stalks,  |  strong  foot,  |  yet  ill  able 

]^ver  to  I  come  up  with  |  Dactyl  tri  |  s^^llable.  | 

lam  I  bics  march  |  from  short  |  to  long;  | 

With  a  leap  |  and  a  bound  |  tlie  swift  An  |  apsests  throng;  | 

One  syllable  long  with  one  short  at  each  side 

Aniphibra  |  chys  hastes  with  |  a  stately  |  stride: 

First  and  hist  |  being  long,  |  middle  short,  |  Amphima  |  cer 

Strikes  his  thundering  hoofs  like  a  proud  high-bred  racer. 

Coleridge. 


12  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


CHAPTER   III. 
METRE. 

1.  "WiiKX  a  rhythmic  succession  of  words  is  divided  into 
lines  of  a  definite  number  of  feet,  the  result  is  called  metre. 
In  other  words,  metre  is  a  measured  portion  of  rhythm. 

2.  The  number  of  units  in  a  line  determines  the  name  of 
the  metre.  A  line  of  one  unit  is  called  AFon'omktkk;  of  two, 
])iMKTKU;  of  three,  Tki'mktku;  of  four,  TKTnXMKTjcu;  of  five, 
1'entXmetek;  of  six,  HkxXmkteu;  of  seven,  Hki'tXmeteu;  of 
eight,  OctXmetek.  Thus,  a  line  of  five  iambuses  is  called 
Iamiuc  Pentameter. 

3.  Besides  these  regular  measures,  there  may  be  fractions 
of  a  foot  at  the  beginning  or  end  of  a  line,  and  sometimes  in 
the  middle.  This  is  especially  the  case  with  lyric  metres,  or 
those  adapted  for  singing. 

4.  To  illustrate  the  various  kinds  of  metre,  the  following 
examples  are  given.  It  should  be  remarked  that  it  is  very 
rare  to  find  specimens  of  lines  consisting  of  one  unit,  or  more 
than  six  units,  of  any  rhytlim. 

I  A  M  II  I  C. 

5.  Iambic  monomctcr : 

As  jiist 
A  frk-nd 
I  uiiist. 

-Hood. 


METRE.  13 


6.  Iambic  dimeter ; 


Because  |  I  do  | 
Begin  |  to  woo,  | 
Sweet  sing  |  ing  Lark,  | 
Be  thoii  I  the  clerk.  | 

—  Jlerrick. 

With  added  syllable : 

She  wept,  |  sweet  la  |  dy, 
And  said,  |  iu  weep  |  ing  — 

—  liossetti. 

7.  Iambic  trimeter : 

O  let  I  the  sol  |  id  gi-ound  | 
Not  fail  1  beneath  |  my  feet.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

With  added  syllable : 

Ere  God  |  had  built  ]  the  moun  |  tains 
Or  raised  |  the  friiit  |  ful  hills.  | 

—  Cowptr. 

8.  Iambic  tetrameter : 

Come  live  |  with  me  |  and  be  |  my  love.  | 

—  Marlowe. 

This  is  a  form  frequently  used ;  as  in  Milton's  "  L' Allegro," 

Tennyson's  "  In  Meraoriam,"  and  many  others. 

With  added  syllable : 

Wee,  sleek  |  it,  cow'r  ]  in,  tim  I  'rous  bdast  |  ie. 

—  Bums. 

9.  Iambic  pentameter : 

A  knight  |  there  was  |  and  that  |  a  wor  |  thy  man.  | 

—  Chaucer. 

Tliis  is  the  most  common  of  all  English  metres. 

It  has  received  the  name  of  heroic  verse  in  English,  German, 
and  Italian ;  and  the  same  name  is  given  to  the  iambic  hexam- 
eter in  French,  and  the  dactylic  hexameter  in  Greek  and 
Latin.     It  will  receive  special  attention  in  another  chapter. 

With  added  syllable  : 

On  helm  |  and  har  |  ness  rings  \  the  Norse  |  mau's  hiim  |  mer. 

—  Longfellow. 


14  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

10.  Iambic  hexameter : 

For  she  I  was  \v6u  |  drous  f:iire  |  as  :in  |  y  liv  |  ing  wight.  | 

—  Spetuer. 

This  is  called  the  Alexandrine  line,  —  as  being  the  metre  of 
a  French  poem  upon  the  life  of  Alexander.  It  naturally 
divides  into  two  trimeters ;  thus  : 

The  d^w  I  was  fall  |  ing  fast,  |  the  stars  |  begin  |  to  blink.  | 

—  Wordsworth. 

11.  Iambic  heptameter : 

There's  uul  |  a  joy  |  the  world  |  can  give  |  like  that  |  it  takes  |  awdy.  | 

liyron. 

With  added  syllable : 

And  wrought  |  within  |  his  sh;it  |  tered  brain  |  such  quick  | 
,  poet  I  ic  sen  |  ses. 

—  Mrs.  Brotcning  :  Cowpcr'a  Grave 

TKOCII  AIC. 

li  Trochaic  monometer : 

Sphlshing 
Dashing. 

—  Southcy. 

13.  Trochaic  dimeter : 

Could  I  I  ciitch  that  | 
Nimble  |  tniylor  | 
Skornfiill  I  L.'iwra  | 
Swifl-foote  1  Liiwra.  | 

—  C'avtpion. 

With  added  syllable : 

Give  the  |  vengeance  |  diic 
To  the  I  viiliant  |  crew. 

—  liryden. 

14    Trochaic  trimeter : 

Go  where  |  glory  |  wails  thee.  | 

—  Moan. 


METRE.  16 

With  added  syllable : 

Home  they  |  brouglit  her  |  warrior  |  d^ad. 

—  J'etinyson. 
Of  this  last,  numerous  examples  may  be  found. 

15.  Trochaic  tetrameter : 

Space  to  I  breathe  how  )  short  so  |  ever.  | 

—  Beji  Jonson. 

This  is  the  metre  of  Longfellow's  "  Hiawatha." 
With  added  syllable : 

Only  I  kneel  once  |  more  a  |  round  the  |  sod. 

—  Afrs.  Jlemans. 

16.  Trochaic  pentameter : 

Sing  thee  |  tales  of  |  true  long-  |  parted  |  lovers.  | 

—  Mattluic  Arnold. 

With  added  syllable : 

Think  when  [  e'er  you  |  see  us  |  what  our  |  beaiily  |  saith. 

—  Leigh  Hunt. 

17.  Trochaic  hexameter : 

Dark  the  |  shrine  and  |  dumb  the  |  fount  of  |  song  thence  |  welling.  | 

—  Swinburne. 

With  added  syllable : 
Ldt  us  I  swear  an  |  oath  and  |  k(3ep  it  |  with  an  |  equal  |  mind. 

—  Tennyson. 

18.  Trochaic  heptameter : 

Let  the  student  find  an  example  of  this,  if  possible. 

With  added  syllable : 

T^U  me  I  whdt  thy  |  lordly  |  name  is  |  on  the  |  night's 

Plu  I  tonian  |  shore. 

—  Poe. 

19.  Trochaic  octameter : 

Dear  my  |  friend  and  |  fellow  |  student,  |  I  would  |  lean 

my  I  spirit  |  o'er  you.  | 

—  Mrs.  Browning. 


16  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


ANAPAKSTIC. 

20.  Anapaestic  mouometer : 

On  thy  blink 
In  a  nink. 

—  Drayton. 

21.  Anapaestic  dimeter : 

On  the  6in  |  erakl  main.  | 

-  Shelley. 

With  added  syllable : 

lie  is  gone  |  on  the  muun  |  tain; 
He  is  lust  I  to  the  for  |  est. 

—  Scott. 

22.  Anapaestic  trimeter : 

From  llic  ct'n  |  trc  all  round  |  to  the  s6ti  | 
I  am  lt')rd  |  of  the  fowl  |  and  the  brute.  | 

—  Cowper. 
With  adiled  syllable : 

Comes  a  pdusc  |  in  the  day's  |  occupil  |  tions. 

—  Longfdlow. 

23.  Anapaestic  tetrameter: 

For  a  fii'ld  I  of  the  di'ad  |  rushes  n'd  |  on  my  sight.  | 

—  Campbell. 

With  added  syllable : 

If  they  rob  |  us  of  name  |  ami  pursue  ]  us  with  brag  |  Ics, 
Give  their  roof  |  to  the  flame  |  and  their  flesh  |  to  the  ^ag  |  les. 

—  Scott. 

In  each  of  tliese  last  two  forms,  an  iambus  is  often  substi- 
tuted for  the  first  anapaest : 

Three  fish  |  crs  went  sail  |  ing  out  in  |  to  liio  wt'-st.  | 

—  Charlis  KingtUy. 

IIow  dear  |  to  my  luart  |  are  the  scenes  |  of  my  chiltl  |  hood. 

—  ifoodworth. 

No  p<5arl  |  ever  lay  |  under  6  |  man's  green  wa  |  Itr. 

Moore. 

These  la.st  two  may  be  scanned  perfectly  as  consisting  of 
amphibrachs. 


METRE.  17 

24.  Anapaestic  pentameter : 

And  the  sleep  |  in  the  dried  |  river  cban  |  nel  where  biil  |  rushes  1(511  | 
That  the  wa  |  ter  was  wont  |  to  go  war  |  bliug  so  soft  |  ly  and  w611.  | 

—  Robert  Browning. 

25.  Anapaestic  hexameter : 

Or  the  least  |  little  del  |  icate  liq  |  uiline  curve  |  in  a  sen  |  sitive 

nose.  I 

—  Tentiyson. 

26.  Anapaestic  heptameter : 

Let  the  student  seek  an  example  of  this. 
With  added  syllable : 

That  are  lit  |  tie  of  might,  |  that  are  mould  |  ed  of  mire,  |  unendur-  | 

ing  and  shad  |  ow-like  na  |  tions. 

—  Swinburne. 

DACTYLIC. 

27.  Dactylic  monometer : 

Memory ! 
Tell  to  me. 

—  George  Eliot. 

With  added  syllable : 

Weary  Of  |  breath. 

—  Hood. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  last  is  the  same  as  the  choriambus. 

28.  Dactylic  dimeter : 

Cannon  to  |  right  of  them.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

A  form  similar  to  this,  with  accents  much  modified,  is 
found  in  several  well-known  poems :  as  Drayton's  "  A^incourt," 
and  Longfellow's  "  Skeleton  in  Armor." 

29.  Dactylic  trimeter : 

Here  let  the  student  seek  for  an  example. 

With  added  syllable : 

Warriors  and  |  chiefs  should  the  \  shaft  or  the  |  sw6rd 
Pierce  me  in  |  leading  the  |  host  of  the  |  Lord. 

J}l/ron. 


18  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

30.  Dactylic  tetrameter : 

Why  art  thou  |  dim  when  thy  |  sisters  arc  |  radiant  ?  | 

—  «.  II.  Iiokfr. 
This  is  more  commonly  found  witli  the  last  foot  a  trochee : 

Brightest  and  |  hust  of  the  |  sons  of  the  |  morning. 

—  Ilcber. 

31.  Dactylic  pentameter: 

An  example  may  be  furnished  by  the  student,  either  selected 
or  original. 

With  added  syllable : 
Dance  the  e  |  histic  dac  |  tyUcs  with  |  musical  |  cadences  |  on. 

—  n'.  ir.  story. 

32.  Dactylic  hexameter : 

Now  with  a  |  sprightlier  |  springiness  |  bounding  in  |  tripHcate  | 
syllables.  |  _  ,p.  ,p.  stoty. 

This  is  an  example  of  pure  dactylic  hexameter.  The  classi- 
cal dactylic  hexanictor  dilTcrs  from  this  in  having  a  spondee 
or  trochee  in  the  last  foot,  and  allowing  spondees  in  other 
places ;  only,  the  fifth  foot  is  usually  a  dactyl.     Thus : 

Stand  like  |  harpers  |  hoar  with  |  bt'ards  that  |  rest  on  their  |  bosoms.  | 

—  Longfellovf. 

As  sj)ondoos  are  not  easily  formed  in  English,  trochees  take 
their  place,  as  in  the  above  example. 

NoTK.  —  Tlu-  most  couiuiou  of  those  metres  will  rociivo  special  attcutiou 
ill  a  later  chapter. 


VARIETY   IN  RUYTHM.  19 


CHAPTER   IV. 
VARIETY    IN   EHYTHM. 

1.  In  the  preceding  chapters,  the  laws  of  rhythm  and 
metre  have  been  given  as  seen  in  their  most  exact  and  regular 
forms.  But  it  is  by  no  means  necessary  that  they  should  be 
limited  to  these.  Much  of  the  charm  of  verse  would  be  lost 
by  this  strict  uniformity.  In  all  languages,  and  especially  in 
English,  a  larger  freedom  of  movement  is  allowed,  without 
changing  essentially  the  rhythmic  effect.  Just  as  in  music, 
added  notes  may  be  thrown  into  a  measure,  called  "grace- 
notes,"  which,  being  played  rapidly,  do  not  disturb  the  regular 
time  of  the  movement,  so  lighter  syllables  may  be  introduced 
in  the  unit  of  rhythm,  without  affecting  the  general  flow  of 
the  accent.  Then,  also,  silences  or  rests  may  take  the  place 
of  syllables  occasionally.  And  again,  a  few  light  syllables 
may  occur  as  a  sort  of  flourish  at  the  beginning  or  end  of 
a  line,  without  affecting  the  regularly  accented  portion.  The 
present  chapter  is  devoted  to  these  variations. 

SUBSTITUTION. 

2.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  same 
unit  of  rhythm  is  not  necessarily  preserved  throughout  an 
example  of  verse.  One  kind  of  foot  may  occasionally  be  sub- 
stituted for  another.  In  general,  it  is  desirable  that  the  rela- 
tive place  of  the  accent  should  be  retained.  That  is,  tlie 
accent  should  be  struck  regularly  at  the  hetjliinhig  of  every 
foot,  or  at  the  end  of  every  foot,  without  having  necessarily 


20  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

the  same  number  of  syllables  in  each  foot.  In  this  way, 
iambuses  and  anapaests  may  iuterchaiijje  with  each  other  in 
the  same  verse.     Thus  : 

I  sift  I  the  snuw  |  on  the  moun  |  tains  beluw,  | 
Aud  tlieir  great  |  piuos  groan  |  aghast:  | 

And  all  |  tlic  night  |  'tis  uiy  pil  |  low  wiiile  | 
While  1  sleep  |  in  the  arms  |  of  the  blast.  | 

—  Shelley. 

Or  trochees  and  dactyls : 

Narrowing  |  in  to  |  whdre  thoy  |  s;it  as  |  semblcd  | 
Low  vo  I  liipldoOs  |  miisic  |  wuuling  |  trembled.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

3.  In  iambic  movement,  which  represents  marching  time, 
tl»e  stroke  or  accent,  which  usually  comes  only  on  the  last 
syllable,  may,  at  times,  come  equally  on  the  lirst  syllable,  lu 
this  case,  a  spondee  takes  the  place  of  the  iambus. 

K611  on,  I  thou  deep  |  .liid  dark  |  bliie  6  |  cein,  roll.  | 

—  Hjjron. 

Or  the  stroke  may  be  omitted  from  each  syllable,  iti  one 
measure,  occasionally,  the  time  being  carried  on  in  the  mind, 
during  the  interval.  .This  gives  the  pyrrhic  in  the  place  of 
an  iambus : 

New  li^ht  I  M  An  I  il  hcav  |  en-kiss  |  Inn  hill.  | 

—  Shitki-sitenre. 

Here  the  second  foot  is  a  jiyrrhic. 

Owing  to  the  large  number  of  particles  in  English,  the 
pyrrhic  is  a  foot  of  very  frequent  occurrence.  Some  writers 
u])on  verse  are  afciistoined  to  mark  the  pyrrhic  with  an 
accent  like  tlie  other  feet  in  the  line,  calling  it  a  metrical 
accent  as  distinguished  from  the  true  accent.  Hut  tliis  leads 
to  a  sing-song,  scanning  movement,  which  detracts  from  the 
gracefulness  of  the  natunl  reailing.  A  genuine  ]»oet  will 
always  dis])ose  the  parti(^les  in  his  verse  in  sneh  a  luanin'r, 
that  it  may  be  read  naturally  without  impairing  flie  rhythmic 
effect. 


VARIETY   IN   EIIYTIIM.  21 

4.  It  is  less  easy  to  explain  how  an  Inverted  foot  can  occur 
in  any  given  rhythm.  It  would  seeiu  to  destroy  the  onward 
flow,  if  the  accent  should  suddenly  be  thrown  upon  the  begin- 
ning of  the  foot,  when  it  had  been  running  prevailingly  upon 
the  end.  But  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  a  trochee  is  fre- 
quently found  in  the  place  of  an  iambus.  The  law  seems  to 
be,  however,  that  this  occurs  most  easily  and  properly  after  a 
pause ;  that  is,  at  the  beginning  of  a  line,  or  after  a  rest,  in 
the  middle.     Thus : 

Earlb,  with  |  liCr  thous  |  and  voi  |  cCs,  priii  |  sCs  God.  | 

—  ColvritUje. 
Nay,  c4n  |  swCr  md.  ||    Stand  and  |  unfold  |  ydurself.  | 

—  Shiikesj)eare. 

The  true  explanation  may  therefore  be,  that  it  is  like  the 
effort  made  to  catch  the  step,  when  one  is  "falling  in"  to 
marching  time. 

5.  Besides  the  substitution  of  tliese  more  commonly  used 
feet  for  each  other,  we  sometimes  find  the  invasion  of  an 
unusual  unit  of  rhythm  for  a  brief  period.  Thus  in  Brown- 
ing's "  How  they  brought  the  good  news  from  Ghent  to  Aix," 
the  prevailing  rhythm  is  anapaestic,  and  yet  an  amphibrach  or 
amphimacer  may  occasionally  be  found.     Thus : 

Amphibrach : 

I  spnin,2;  |  to  tlie  stir  |  nip.  and  Jo  |  ris,  and  Ik:^,  | 
I  galloped,  I  Dirck  galloped,  1  we  galloped  |  all  three.  | 

Amphimacer : 
Not  a  word  |  to  each  6th  |  cr,  we  kept  |  the  great  pace,  I 
Neck  by  neck,  |  stride  by  stride,  |  never  chang  |  ing  our  place.  | 

6.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  rliythmic  effect  may  be 
sustained,  with  a  great  number  of  variations  in  tlie  i)revailing 
unit  of  rhythm.  The  movement,  in  English,  is  very  free,  and 
consists  mainly  in  keeping  up  a  succession  of  equal  time- 
intervals,  marked  off  by  accents,  gi'uerally  at  the  beginning  or 


22  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

end  of  the  intervals.  There  is  a  limit,  liowever,  to.  the  varia- 
tions. They  may  be  carried  to  such  an  extent  as  to  bring  us 
perilously  near  to  the  border-line  of  verse.     Thus : 

When  men  were  all  asleep  the  snow  came  flying; 

In  lari;e  white  flakes  falling  on  the  city  brown: 
Stealthily  and  perpetually  settling  and  loosely  lying, 

Hushing  the  latest  trallic  of  the  drowsy  town; 
Deadening,  luuflling,  stifling  its  niurnmrs  failing, 

Lazily  and  incessantly  floating  down  and  down; 
Sili-ntly  sifting  and  veiling  road,  roof  and  railing; 

Hiding  difference,  making  unevenness  even. 
Into  angles  and  crevics  softly  drifting  and  sailing. 

Author  of  The  Oroirthof  I.oit,  Luiidon,  IS^O. 

Although  tlie  general  effi-ct  here  is  rhythuiioal,  yet  there 
are  instances  of  partial  failure,  especially  in  the  eighth  line, 
where  we  feel  that  we  are  left  on  the  sliallows  of  prose ;  or, 
at  least,  at  that  lowest  ebb  of  verse,  which  is  scarcely  more 
than  rhythmical  prose. 

K  M  S  I  O  N. 

7.  AVc  have  thus  seen  that  tlie  essential  feature  of  rhythm 
is  tliat  the  accents  shall  flow  along  easily  at  regular  intervals, 
with  not  more  than  one  or  two  unaccented  syllaldes  between. 
JUit  as  there  are  a  great  many  unaccented  syllables,  in 
P^nglish,  to  dispose  of,  it  is  necessary  to  resort  to  various 
expedients  to  bring  them  witliin  the  recpiircd  limits.  One  of 
these  is  called  Elision. 

8.  Elision,  in  its  strict  sense,  is  the  partial  or  entire  loss  of 

a  vowel  sound  at  the  end  of  a  wonl,  when  the  next  word 

begins  with  a  vowel;   a,s,   "th'  earth."     In  this  way,   more 

syllables  can   be  brought'  into  a  foot  than  by  the  ordinary 

pronunciation.     Thus : 

Ungriito  |  ful  off  |  ering  to  |  Ui    iiuiitur  |  tal  pi'iwers.  | 

—  t'ope. 

But  in  all  sucli  cases,  the  vowel  may  not  be  wholly  omitted, 
but  rather  blended  with  the  following.    Jilision,  in  English, 


VARIETY  IN  RUYTHM.  23 

is  not  required,  but  is  optional  with  the  poet.     In  the  follow- 
ing instance,  Pope  chooses  to  neglect  it : 

Tho'  oft  I  the  ear  |  the  o  |  pen  vow  |  els  tire.  | 

SliVRKING. 

'  9.  Another  form  of  partial  suppression  of  syllables  is  called 
Slurring.  This  is  a  wider  application  of  the  same  princi- 
ple, having  reference  not  to  the  end  of  a  word,  but  to  the 
syllables  in  a  Avord.  Slurring,  in  its  simplest  sense,  is  the 
obscuring  of  unimportant  syllables.  It  is  very  common  in 
ordinary  conversation,  as  when  we  say,  "  What  o'clock  is  it  ?  " 
omitting  the  and  the  final  consonant  of  the  preceding  word  of. 
Its  use,  in  verse,  enables  us  to  bring  a  larger  number  of  light 
syllables  into  a  foot,  without  breaking  the  rhythm. 

10.  But  care  should  be  taken  not  to  employ  it  mechanically. 
The  syllable  should  not  be  entirely  omitted,  but  should  be 
read  trippingly,  with  a  light  and  graceful  blending  with  the 
following  syllable.  In  iambic  verse,  for  instance,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  make  every  foot  of  two  syllables,  by  sharply 
dropping  out  all  superfluous  ones,  but  it  is  much  more  in 
accordance  witli  the  true  spirit  of  rhythm,  to  allow  three  or 
more  syllables,  if  need  be,  rapidly  bringing  them  in,  like 
grace-notes  in  music,  within  the  proper  limits  of  the 
measure. 

11.  But,  though  a  sensitive  ear  is  the  best  guide,  our  choice 
is  determined,  after  all,  by  the  laws  of  euphony.  Some  sylla- 
bles can  be  easily  blended  with  those  following,  and  others 
cannot.     There  are  several  classes. 

First,  Certain  vowels,  wliich  ordinarily  form  syllables,  may 
at  other  times  perform  the  part  of  consonants,  and  thus  unite 
with  the  succeeding  vowel.  Thus,  i  in  radiant  may  make  a 
syllable  by  itself:  ra-di-ant ;  or  it  may  be  pronounced  like  y, 
with  the  next  syllable :  rade-ya7it.     So  e  in  beauteous,  and  in 


24  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATIOX. 

general,  any  vowel  which  can  make  a  y  sound  with  the  follow- 
ing vowel.     Thus : 

The  frccz  |  iiig  T;in  |  a/s  tliroujh  |  a  waste  |  of  snows.  | 

—  J'ope. 
where  the  secoiul  a  in  Tanais  is  sounded  like  ij. 

Secondly,  The  consonant  w,  being  also  a  serai-vowel  having 
the  sound  on,  may  be  so  pronounced  as  either  to  divide  two 
syllables,  or  to  blend  them  into  one.  Thus,  the  word  power 
may  be  sounded  in  one  or  two  syllables.  In  a  similar  way, 
over  and  ever  become  o'er  and  e'er,  and  hearen,  heav''n. 

Thirdly,  A  vowel  may  easily  be  slurrcil  wlien  it  precedes  or 
follows  one  of  the  liquids,  /,  ///,  n,  r,  which  coalesce  with  the 
adjoining  consonant;  as  the  second  u  in  viurmuring,  i  in 
ominous,  i  in  delicate,  and  linal  i  in  spirit. 

Fourthly,  Certain  slurrings  are  allowable  which  do  not 
follow  strictly  from  the  laws  of  eujdiony,  but  arise  from  the 
omission  of  some  elements  in  fre(]uent  and  familiar  combi- 
nations of  sound;  as,  V  the  for  in  the,  wV  ye  for  with  ye; 
as  "  God  be  with  ye  "  has  been  contracted  into  "  Good-bye." 
So  whc'r  for  vhrther,  whi'r  for  whither.  In  Shakespeare, 
well-known  prefixes  are  omitted;  as, 'stroy  for  destroy, 'cide 
for  decide,  etc.  Tlie  termination  ed  in  the  preterite  of  verbs 
may  be  sounded  or  not,  at  the  option  of  the  poet. 

In  some  editions  of  the  i)oets,  the  slurred  vowel  is  omitted 
in  the  printing,  and  an  apostrophe  used  to  indicate  its  i)lace; 
but  this  is  objectionable,  as  it  leads  to  a  meclianical  style  of 
reading,  instead  of  trusting  to  the  taste  of  the  reader. 

ICxamples  of  slurring: 

The  nio  |  t(-6r  6/  |  a  splrii  |  did  st'a  |  son  shr.  | 

—  Trnnyton. 
Wdrr'inm  (Iml  \  chiefs  sliould  Iho  |  sliafl  or  the  |  sword. 

—  Ilyron. 
IJy  licr  I  aid's  voice  |  explaln'd;  |  the  hoi  |  low  ahi/ns.  | 

-  MtUon. 


VARIETY  IN  RHYTHM.  26 

PHKASING. 

12.  Besides  the  regular  rhythmical  accent  which  occurs  in 
each  foot,  an  additional  stress  arising  from  emphasis  may 
occur  at  irregular  intervals,  giving  rise  to  what  may  be  called 
phrases.  These  afford  a  pleasant  variety,  as  in  the  case  of 
overtones  which  play  upon  the  surface  of  the  fundamental  or 
primary  tone.     Thus : 

Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
Early  in  the  morning  our  song  shall  rise  to  thee. 

Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord,  God,  Almighty! 

[All  thy  rourks]  shall  [praise  thy  name]  in  earth  and  sky  and  sea. 

—  Bishop  Jh'bcr. 

The  rhythm  here  is  trochaic,  but  in  addition  to  tlie  trochaic 
rhythm,  there  comes  in,  in  the  last  line,  an  extra  stress  upon 
all  and  works,  and  again  on  praise  and  name,  setting  off  two 
phrases  of  three  words  each,  whose  occurrence  heightens  the 
pomp  and  swell  of  the  movement. 

Again  in  Browning's  "  Herve  lliel,"  in  which  the  movement 
is  generally  anapaestic,  but  is  frequently  diversified  by  phrases 
of  three  syllables,  like  that  in  the  preceding,  we  have  a  very 
different  effect.  In  the  stanza  above  quoted,  the  phrasing 
adds  to  the  majestic  flow  of  the  rhythm.  In  "  Herve  Kiel," 
it  gives  the  intended  effect  of  quick  spasmodic  action: 

Not  a  minute  more  to  wait. 

"Steer  us  in  then,  small  and  great! 

Take  the  helm,  lead  the  line,  save  the  sqnadronl^'  cried  its  chief. 

It  is  owing  to  this  fact  of  frequent  difference  of  stress  on 
the  accented  syllables,  that  it  seems  possiV)le  at  times  to  divide 
a  line  into  feet  of  more  than  three  syllables,  regard  being  had 
only  to  the  stronger  stress.  Thus,  the  following  line  may  be 
divided  into  trochees : 

When  the  |  rose  was  |  new  in  |  blossom  |  and  the  |  siin  was  | 
un  the  I  hill. 

Or  into  units  of  four  syllables  : 
When  the  |  rose  was  new  in  |  blossom  and  the  |  siin  was  on  the  |  hill. 


26  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 


E  X  T  R  A  -  K  II  Y  T  II  M  I  C  A  L     SYLLABLES. 

13.  "The  general  principle  may  be  thus  laid  down,  that  one 
or  two  unaccented  syllables  preceding  the  initial  accent,  or 
following  the  final  accent  of  the  line,  are  non-essential  to  the 
rhythm^  and  may  be  added  or  omitted  without  changing  the 
metre."  —  Mayors  J^/i(/lish  Metre,  p.  94. 

14.  First,  syllables  at  the  beginning.  It  is  not  unusual, 
especially  in  lyric  metres,  for  one  or  more  syllables  to  come 
lightly  in,  before  the  first  regular  accent  in  the  line.     Tims : 

A  I  his  for  the  |  nirity  | 

Of  I  Christian  |  charity  | 

Under  the  sun. 

-  Jlood. 

O  young  I  Lochinv.ir  |  has  come  out  |  of  the  Wdst,  | 
In  all  I  the  wide  bor  |  der  his  steed  |  is  the  best.  | 

—  Scott. 

In  the  first  extract,  the  rhythm  is  dactylic,  and  the  sylla- 
bles A  and  Of  are  extra  syllables  thrown  lightly  in  at  the 
beginning  of  the  line. 

In  the  second,  the  rhytliin  is  anapaestic,  and  is  preceded  by 
two  extra  syllables  forming  an  iambus.  This  is  sometimes 
called  "  a  catch ; "  as  if  it  were  catching  step  with  the  regular 
rhythm. 

15.  liut  besides  this  case  of  extra  syllables  which  are  pre- 
liminary to  the  regular  rhythm,  there  is  another  of  frequent 
occurrence,  in  which  what  appear  to  be  extra  syllables  at  the 
beginning  of  a  line,  are  really  only  the  completion  of  a  foot  at 
the  end  of  the  preceding  line.  So  the  rhythm  is  not  really 
interrupted,  but  runs  on  from  line  to  line.  In  the  same  way, 
in  m\isic,  a  note  wanting  in  the  last  measure  of  a  verse  is 
found  in  the  first  measure  of  the  following  verse.  This  is 
called  anacrusis. 


VARIETY   IN   RIIYTnM.  27 

Thus,  in  the  following  examples,  the  initial  syllables  marked 
short  will  be  seen  to  complete  the  final  foot  of  the  preceding 

line : 

Know  ye  the  ]  hind  where  the  |  cypress  and  |  niyrtlg 

Are  I  ('mblems  of  |  deeds  that  are  |  done  in  their  |  ch'me, 
WliCre  the  |  nii^e  of  tlie  |  vulture,  tlie  |  love  of  the  |  tiirtlC, 
N6\v  I  melt  into  |  softness,  now  |  madden  to  |  crime  ? 

—  Byron, 
Come  from  deep  |  glen  Jliid 

Fr5m  |  mountain  so  |  njckj", 
The  I  war-pipe  and  |  pennOu 
Are  I  at  Inver  |  lochy.  1 

—  Scott. 
nigh  in  Val  |  hulla 
A  I  window  stands  ]  6p6n, 
Its  I  sill  is  the  |  siiow  pSaks, 
Its  I  posts  are  the  |  watdr  spOuts.  | 

—  Klngsley, 

The  I  bleak  wind  of  |  March 

Made  her  |  tremble  and  |  shivCr, 
Biit  I  not  the  dark  |  arch 
N6r  the  I  black  flowing  |  river, 

—  Hood. 
O  I  love,  what  |  hours  were  |  mine  and  |  thine 
In  I  hinds  of  |  palm  and  |  southern  |  pine. 

In  I  hinds  of  |  palm,  of  |  orange  |  blossOm, 
Of  I  olive  I  aloe  and  \  maize  and  |  wine.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

RESTS. 

16.  Besides  this  variety  of  rhythm  caused  by  additional 
syllables,  we  have  another  consisting  in  the  omission  of 
syllables  at  the  beginning  of  lines,  or  within  the  line. 

I  trow  I  they  did  |  not  part  I  in  scorn;  | 
u  Lov  I  ers  long  |  betrothed  |  were  they.  | 

—  Tennyson. 
u  Break!  |  u  Break!  |  u  Break!  | 

On  thy  cold  |  gray  stones,  |  O  sea!  | 

—  Tennyson. 


28  ENGLISH  VEruSIFICATIOX. 

Mdrch!  u  >-'  |  March!  >--  w  |  turlck  iiiil  |  Ti'vif)tdftle! 
Why  the  dOil  |  diuiia  yd  march  |  forwiirJ  In  |  order? 

—  Scott. 
Here  the  place  of  one  or  more  syllables  is  j)assed  over  in 
silence.     It  would  be  indicated  by  a  rest  in  music. 

PAUSE. 

17.  Under  this  head,  of  variety  in  rhythm,  comes  naturally 
the  subject  of  Pause.  The  tiow  of  all  speech,  whether  in 
prose  or  verse,  is  constantly  interruptetl  by  the  breaks  which 
are  necessary  to  indicate  the  ending  of  words,  phrases,  and 
sentences.  Therefore,  just  ;us  the  accents  of  ordinary  speech 
have  to  be  so  managed,  in  verse,  as  to  meet  the  requirements 
of  the  rhythm,  in  like  manner,  the  natural  pauses  must  be 
arranged  so  as  to  aid  in  the  rhythmical  effect. 

CAESURA    OFTUE    FOOT. 

18.  First,  of  the  ])ause  after  vords.  If,  in  every  case,  the 
end  of  a  foot  slioidd  coincide  with  tlie  end  of  a  word,  the 
rhythmic  effi'ct  would  be  very  monotonous.     I'lius  : 

And  swims,  |  or  sinks,  |  or  wades,  |  or  creeps,  |  or  flics.  | 

—  MUton. 
Puts  forlli  I  an  arm,  |  and  creeps  |  from  pine  |  to  pine.  | 

—  Ti-nni/>on. 

To  prevent  this,  there  must  bo  frequent  ending  of  a  word 
before  the  foot  is  completed.     Thus: 

Willi  ro  I  sy  slf'M  |  ilrr  liii  |  gcrs  back  |  ward  drew.  | 

—  Tcnnyion. 

This  is  called,  in  classical  language,  the  ccvsura  of  the  foot. 
That  is,  the  cutting  of  the  foot  into  sections. 

CAKSUUA    OK    Tin:    LINE. 

19.  Next,  of  tlu;  pause  after ////m.sv.s-.  In  ordinary  speech, 
a  long  sentence  is  frequently  broken  up  by  natural  divisions 
in  tlic  8CU8C.     If  none  of  these  divisions  should  occur  in  verse, 


VARIETY  IN  RHYTHM.  29 

or  if  they  should  occur  only  at  the  end  of  lines,  the  sameness 
would  be  a  serious  defect  in  the  rhythm.  Variety  arises 
from  the  occurrence  of  rhythmical  pauses  in  the  line,  cor- 
responding with  the  logical  pauses  in  the  meaning.  This  is 
called  cccsura  of  the  line. 

The  tendency  is,  at  first,  for  this  ctesura  to  occur  near  the 
middle  of  the  line  : 

Come  live  |  with  me  ||  ami  be  |  my  love.  | 

—  Marlowe. 

The  cffisura  of  the  line  is  here  marked  with  two  short  vertical 
lines. 

And  smooth  or  rough  ||  with  them  is  right  or  wrong. 

—  Pope. 

The  dew  was  falling  fast,  ||  the  stars  began  to  blink. 

—  Wordsworth. 

There's  not  a  joy  the  world  can  give  II  like  that  it  takes  away. 

—  Byron. 

Saw  the  vision  of  the  world,  ||  and  all  the  wonder  that  would  be. 

—  Tennyson. 

Dear  my  friend  and  fellow-student,  ||  I  would  lean  my  spirit  o'er  you. 

—  Mrs.  Brotvning. 

20.  But  variety  requires  that  even  this  should  be  changed. 
Especially  is  this  the  case  in  unrhymed  iambic  pentameter. 
Says  Cowper :  "  The  writer  in  this  kind  of  metre,  in  order 
that  he  may  be  musical,  must  exhibit  all  the  variations,  as  he 
proceeds,  of  whicli  ten  syllables  are  susceptible.  Between 
the  iirst  and  the  last,  there  is  no  place  at  which  he  must  not 
occasionally  pause,  and  the  place  of  the  pause  must  be  contin- 
ually shifted." 

The  following  examples  show  the  caesura  occurring  in  every 
place,  from  the  first  syllable  to  the  ninth : 

Not  to  me  returns 
Day,  II  or  the  sweet  approach  of  cv'n  or  morn. 

—Milton. 


30  ENGLISH   VEKSIFICATION. 

For  tlic  time  I  study 
Virtue,  II  and  that  part  of  pliilosopliy. 

—  Sltakesjitare :  Tamtiuj  of  the  Shreto, 

For  it  of  honor  and  all  virtue  is 
The  root,  ||  and  brings  forth  glorious  (lowers  of  fame. 

—  :Sj)eiiscr:  Favric  (Jiutne. 

Assassins  ||  and  all  flyers  from  the  hand 
Of  justice,  II  and  w  hatever  loathes  a  law. 

—  Tttmyson. 

From  branch  to  branch  the  smaller  binls  with  song 
bolaced  the  woods  ||  and  spread  their  painted  wings. 

—  Aflltoa, 
A  daring  pilot  in  extremity, 

Pleased  with  the  danger,  ||  when  the  waves  went  high. 

—  I>rijden. 

Endeavor  thus  to  live;  ||  these  rules  regard. 

—  Wordsworth. 

Not  less  Geraint  believed  it,  ||  and  there  fell 

A  horror  on  him. 

—  Tennyson, 

To  him  who  in  the  love  of  Nattirc  holds 

Conniiiniion  with  her  visible  forms,  ||  she  speaks 

A  various  language. 

—  Ilryant. 

Loud  as  from  numbers  without  number,  ||  sweet 

As  from  blest  voices,  uttering  joy. 

—  Millon. 

In  very  long  lines  the  cicsura  is  almost  indispensable.  Tho 
presence  and  the  want  of  it  arc  well  illustrated  iu  these  two 
lines  from  "  Locksley  Hall :  " 

Comrades,  leave  me  here  a  little,  ||  wliilc  as  yet  'tis  early  mom. 
Many  a  night  from  yonder  ivied  casement  ere  I  went  to  rest. 

The  movement  in  the  last  line  seems  labored  and  exhausting. 

21.  At  the  place  of  the  cajsura  in  the  line,  there  sometimes 
occurs  an  extra  syllable ;  tho  caisura  falls  sometimes  before 
and  sometimes  after  this  syllable.     In  IJryaut's  "Waiting  by 


VARIETY  IN  RHYTHM.  31 

the  Gate,"  we  find  the  extra  syllable  occurring  sometimes 
before  and  sometimes  after  the  csesural  pause.     Thus : 

Beside  |  a  mass  |  ive  gate  |  way,  ||  |  built  up  |  in  years  |  gone  by,  | 
Upon  1  wliose  top  |  the  clouds  |    II  in  |  eter  |  nal  shad  |  ow  lie,  | 
While  streams  |  the  eve  |  ning  sun  |  shine  ||  on  qui  |  et  wood  |  and  lea,  | 
I  stand  I  and  calm  |  ly  wait  |    II  till  |  the  hin  |  ges  turn  |  for  me.  | 

Here  each  line  contains  six  iambuses  with  an  extra  syllable 
after  the  first  three  feet.  Throughout  the  entire  poem,  the 
caesural  pause  falls  sometimes  before  and  sometimes  after 
this  extra  syllable.  To  show  that  this  peculiarity  is  not 
removed  by  dividing  the  lines  in  the  middle,  as  is  sometimes 
possible,  it  is  only  necessary  to  make  the  division.     Thus : 

Beside  |  a  mass  |  ive  gate  |  way 

Built  up  I  in  years  |  gone  by,  | 
Upon  I  whose  top  |  the  clouds  |  in 

Eter  I  nal  shad  |  ow  lie  | 

The  structure  of  the  entire  poem  is  so  regular,  that  there  is 
no  reason  why  the  first  and  third  lines  of  this  last  quatrain 
should  not  be  treated  alike.  It  is  possible  to  carry  the  final 
in  of  the  third  line  over  to  the  fourth  as  an  anacrusis  ;  but  it 
is  not  possible  to  carry  waij  of  the  first  line  over  to  the  second 
line,  in  a  similar  manner.  In  short,  there  is  an  extra  syllable 
in  each  series  of  six  iambuses,  and  the  caesural  pause  does  fall 
sometimes  before  and  sometimes  after  this  extra  syllable.  It 
was  doubtless  as  a  continuous  movement  of  six  iambuses  that 
the  metre  was  conceived  in  the  mind  of  the  writer. 

END-STOPPED    AND    RUN-ON    LINES. 

22.  A  pause  naturally  takes  place,  also,  at  the  end  of  a  lino, 
simply  because  it  is  a  line  ;  that  is,  because  it  is  the  first  dis- 
tinguishing mark  of  the  metre,  as  different  from  rhytlimical 
prose.  In  reading  verse,  some  slight  recognition  of  the  end 
of  the  line  should  always  be  made ;  otherwise  there  would  be 


32  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

no  reason  for  the  division  into  lines.  But  it  would  be  very 
wearisome  if  the  sense  should  require  a  logical  pause,  also, 
at  the  end  of  each  line.  A  pleasing  relief  is  afforded  by 
carrying  on  the  meaning,  occasionally,  from  one  line  to  the 
next,  without  rhetorical  pause.     Thus  : 

Or  if  Sion  hill 
Delight  thee  more,  ami  Siloa's  brouk  tliat  Ilowcd 
Fast  by  the  oracle  of  God :  —  I  thence 
Invoke  thy  aid.  -  MUton. 

Indeed,  this  has  become  so  decided  an  evidence  of  improved 
taste,  that  it  has  been  ado})ted  as  one  test,  among  others,  to 
distinguish  between  the  earlier  and  the  later  plays  of  Shake- 
speare. It  has  been  shown  that  he  was  much  limited,  at 
first,  by  stoj)ping  the  sense  with  the  line,  but  as  he  advanced 
in  ease  of  composition,  he  more  frequently  carried  the  mean- 
ing over  to  the  following  line.  Thus  the  critics  speak  of 
END-STOPPED  and  KUN-oN  LINES,  respectively.  Attention  will 
be  paid  to  this  in  a  later  chapter. 


THE  STANZA.  33 


CHAPTER  V. 
THE   STANZA. 

1.  So  far  we  have  treated  of  rhythmical  language  as  sub- 
jected to  the  laws  of  metre,  only  to  the  extent  of  forming  the 
line.  We  have  seen  that  a  line  may  consist  of  any  number 
of  feet  or  accents,  from  one  to  eight.  But  lines  themselves 
may  be  formed  into  groups,  by  being  bound  together  into  a 
certain  organic  unity.     Such  a  group  is  called  a  stanza. 

The  earliest  poems  usually  consist  of  a  succession  of  single 
lines  of  generally  equal  length.  In  later  development,  usually 
by  the  up-rising  of  some  kind  of  rhyme,  two  or  more  lines 
become  unitt^d  together  so  as  to  form  a  distinct  group.  The 
simplest  instance  of  this  is  the  rhyming  of  the  end  of  one  line 
with  the  end  of  the  next.  This  is  called  a  couplet ;  as : 
Know,  then,  this  truth,  enough  for  man  to  know, 

Virtue  alone  is  happiness  below. 

—  Pope :  Essay  on  Man. 

Three  such  lines  constitute  a  triplet. 

Distrustful  sense  with  modest  caution  speaks. 
It  still  looks  home,  and  short  excursions  makes; 
But  rattling  nonsense  in  full  volleys  breaks. 

—  Pope :  Essay  on  Criticism. 

2.  Couplets  and  triplets  usually  make  part  of  a  continuous 
and  undivided  poem.  When  a  poem  is  divided  into  groups  of 
lines  characterized  by  a  definite  structure  and  arrangement, 
such  groups  av".  called  stanzas,  or,  in  common  speech,  verses. 

Stanzas  of  three  lines.     Of  equal  length : 

A  still  small  voice  spake  unto  me, 

"  Life  is  so  full  of  misery, 

Were  it  not  better  not  to  be  ?  " 

—  Ttnnyson. 


34  ENGLISH   VEIiSIFlCATlON. 

Of  unequal  length : 

Yo  voices,  that  arose 

After  the  Eveiiiiif^'s  close, 

And  whispered  tu  my  restless  heart  repose! 

—  Longfellow. 

3.  Stanzas  of  four  lines. 

A  stanza  of  four  lines  is  technically  known  as  a  quatrain. 
The  lines  may  be  of  any  rhythm  and  of  any  length,  and  with 
various  kinds  of  correspondence.  The  rhymes  may  occur  only 
in  the  second  and  fourth  lines,  or  in  the  first  and  third,  also; 
or  the  first  and  fourth  may  rhyme  together,  and  the  second 
and  tliird.  This  last  is  the  kind  of  stanza  used  in  Tennyson's 
*'  In  Memoriam  :  " 

I  hold  it  truth  with  him  who  sings 
To  one  clear  hai-p  in  divers  tones, 
That  men  may  rise  on  stepping-stones 

Of  their  dead  selves  to  higher  things. 

4.  To  designate  the  order  of  rhymes  in  a  stanza,  the  first  let- 
ters of  tlie  alpliabc't  are  usually  employed,  each  letter  denoting 
the  same  rhyme-sound  wherever  it  occurs.  Thus,  in  the 
stanza  last  given,  the  rhyme-order  would  be  described  as 
abb  a.  It  is  customary,  also,  as  far  as  is  i)racticable,  to  indent, 
or  set  in,  those  lines  which  rhyme  together,  at  equal  distances 
from  the  left-hand  margin.  This,  too,  is  illustrated  in  the 
stanza  given  above. 

5.  At  tliis  point,  we  may  properly  give  the  names  of  metres 
usually  employed  in  hymns. 

Common  metre.     Iambic  tetrameter  and  trimeter: 

I  sing  the  mighty  power  of  fJod, 

That  made  llie  nioimlains  rise; 
That  sjiread  llic  flowing  seas  ahruad 

And  hiiilt  llie  lofty  skies. 

-  /.  }raltt. 


THE   STANZA.  35 

Long  metre.     Iambic  tetrameter : 

O  thou  to  whom  in  ancient  time  * 

The  lyre  of  Hebrew  bards  was  strung, 
Whom  kings  adored  in  songs  sublime, 

And  prophets  praised  with  glowing  tongue. 

—  J.  Pierpont. 

Short   metre.     Iambic  trimeter,   with   tetrameter  in  tliird 
line : 

O  everlasting  Might! 

My  broken  life  repair; 
Nerve  thou  my  will  and  clear  my  sight, 
Give  strength  to  do  and  bear. 

—  //.  Bonar. 

Eights  and  sevens.     Trocliaic  tetrameter,  and  trimeter  with 
added  syllable : 

Love  divine,  all  love  excelling, 

Joy  of  heaven,  to  earth  come  down; 

Fix  in  us  thy  humble  dwelling; 
All  thy  faithful  mercies  crown. 

-  C.  Wesley. 

Sevens.    Trochaic  trimeter,  with  added  syllable : 

Slowly,  by  God's  hand  unfurled, 
Down  around  the  weary  world 
Falls  the  darkness.     Oh,  how  still 
Is  the  working  of  his  will! 

—  W.  n.  Fumess. 

Eights,   sevens,  and  four.     Trochaic  tetrameter,  trimeter 
with  added  syllable,  and  dimeter  in  fifth  line : 

Open  now  the  crystal  fountain 

Whence  the  healing  waters  flow; 
Let  the  fiery,  cloudy  pillar 
Lead  me  all  my  journey  through. 
Strong  Deliverer! 
Be  thou  still  my  strength  and  shield. 

—  William  Williams. 


36  ENGLISH    VERSIFICATION. 

Sevens  and  sixes.     Iambic  trimeter,  with  added  syllable  in 
first  and  third  lines  : 

Before  him  on  the  mountains 

Shall  Peace,  the  herald,  go, 
And  Kighteousness  in  foinitains 

From  hill  to  valley  How. 

—  J.  Montgomery. 

Sixes  and  four.     Iambic  trimeter  and  dimeter : 

My  country,  'tis  of  thee, 
Sweet  land  of  liberty. 

Of  thee  I  sing; 
Land  where  n)y  fathers  died, 
Land  of  the  pilgrim's  pride, 
From  every  mountain  side 

Let  freedom  ring! 

—  5.  F.  Smith. 

Tens.     Iambic  pentameter : 

Abide  with  me!  fast  falls  the  eventide; 
The  darkness  deepens;  Lord,  with  me  abide! 
"When  other  helpers  fail,  and  comforts  flee, 
Help  of  the  helpless,  oh,  abide  with  me! 

-  //.  F.  Lyte. 

Elevens.     Anapaestic  trimeter  preceded  by  iambus : 

Let  goodness  and  mercy,  my  bountiful  God, 
Still  follow  my  steps  till  I  meet  thee  above! 

I  seek  by  the  path  which  my  forefathers  troil. 
Through  the  laud  of  their  sojourn,  thy  kingdom  of  love. 

—  J.  .Miintyttmery. 

Hallelujah  metre.     Four  lines  of  iambic  trimeter,  and  four 
lines  of  iambic  dimeter: 

Upward  I  lift  mine  eyes  ; 
From  God  is  all  niy  aid : 
The  God  that  built  the  skies 
And  earth  and  nature  made. 
God  is  the  tower 
To  which  I  fly; 
His  grace  is  nigh, 
lu  every  hour. 


THE  STANZA.  37 

Other  hymn  metres  might  be  mentioned,  but  the  above  are 
those  most  commonly  employed. 

6.  Of  four-line  stanzas,  with  varying  number  of  units,  the 
following  may  serve  as  examples  : 

Whither,  midst  falHng  dew, 
While  glow  the  heavens  with  the  last  steps  of  day, 
Far  tluoiigh  the  rosy  depths  dost  thou  pursue 
Thy  solitary  way  ? 

—  Bryant. 

There  is  a  calm  for  those  who  weep, 

A  rest  for  weary  mortals  found, 
Who  softly  lie  and  sweetly  sleep. 

Low  in  the  ground, 

—  Campbell. 

7.  Stanzas  of  five  lines : 

O  that  I  were  an  orange  tree, 

That  husy  plant! 
That  I  might  always  laden  be, 

And  never  want 
Some  fruit  for  him  that  dresseth  me. 

—  George  Herbert. 

Or  (unrhymed  and  rare)  : 

Tears,  idle  tears,  I  know  not  what  they  mean; 
Tears  from  the  depths  of  some  divine  despair, 
Ivise  in  the  heart  and  gather  to  the  eyes. 
In  looking  on  the  happy  autumn  fields. 
And  thinking  of  the  days  that  are  no  more. 

—  Tennj/son. 

8.  Of  six  lines  ; 

O  what  a  sight  it  was,  wistly  to  view, 
JIow  she  came  stealing  to  the  wayward  boy! 

To  note  the  fighting  conflict  of  her  line, 
How  white  and  red  each  other  did  destroy  I 

But  now  her  cheek  was  pale,  and  by  and  by 

It  flashed  forth  fire,  as  lightning  from  the  sky. 

—  Shakespeare :  Venus  and  AdonU. 


38  ENGLISH   VEKSIFICATION. 

9.  Of  seven  lines  : 

So  like  a  luan  of  arini's  and  a  knyght, 
He  was  to  sen,  fixllilil  of  heigli  prowesse; 

For  bolhe  he  hadile  a  body  and  a  uiyght 
To  don  that  tliyng,  as  wele  as  hardynesse; 
And  eke  to  sen  hiiu  in  his  gere  him  dresse, 

So  fressh,  so  yong,  so  weldy  scuiiid  he, 

It  was  a  heven  upon  hiui  for  to  se. 

—  Chauctr:  Troylus  and  Crisryde. 

This  stanza  has  b^en  called  the  Rime  Koyal,  or  short 
Chaucerian  stanza.     The  rliyme  order  is  a  b  a  b  b  c  c. 

10.  Of  eight  lines : 

Willi  every  morn  their  love  grew  tenderer, 
AVilh  every  eve  decjtcr  and  tenderer  still; 

lie  might  not  in  house,  field,  or  garden  stir. 
But  her  full  shape  would  all  his  seeing  fill; 

And  his  continual  voieo  was  pleasaiitcr 
To  her,  than  noise  of  trees  or  hidden  rill; 

Her  lute-string  gave  an  echo  of  his  name; 

She  spoilt  her  half-done  broidery  with  the  same. 

—  Keats :  Isabella. 

This  is  tlie  Ottava  Kiina  from  tlie  Italian.  See  also  the 
close  of  IMilton's  "Lycidas,"  and  Byron's  ''Don  Juan." 

Also  of  eight  lines : 

Ofif  Hercules,  the  sovereyn  conquerour, 
Syngen  his  werkes,  laude,  and  heigh  renoun; 
For  in  his  tynie  of  strengthe  he  was  the  Hour. 
He  slow,  and  rafte  the  skyn  of  the  Icoun ; 
He  of  Centaurus  Icyde  the  boost  adoiui ; 
He  Arpies  slow,  the  crucel  bryddes  fellc; 
He  golden  apples  refte  of  the  dragoun; 
He  drow  out  Cerberus,  the  hound  of  helle. 

—  Chaucer:   Tht  Monk's  Tale. 

The  rhyme  order  is  a  b  a  b  b  c  b  c.  Spenser  adds  the  Alex- 
andrine to  this,  and  makes  the  following,  called  the  Spenserian 
stanza. 


THE  STANZA.  39 

11.  Of  nine  lines : 

A  lovely  Ladie  rode  him  faire  beside, 

Upon  a  lowly  Asse  more  white  than  snow, 
Yet  she  much  whiter;  but  the  same  did  hide 

Under  a  vele,  that  wimpled  was  full  low; 

And  over  all  a  black  stole  shee  did  throw; 
As  one  that  inly  mourned,  so  was  shee  sad, 

And  heavie  sat  upon  her  palfrey  slow: 
Seemed  in  heart  some  hidden  care  she  had, 
And  by  her,  in  a  line,  a  milke-white  lamb  she  lad. 

—  Spenser. 

This  Spenserian  stanza,  it  will  be  seen,  consists  of  eight 
lines  of  iambic  pentameter,  followed  by  a  line  of  iambic  hex- 
ameter, or  an  Alexandrine.  The  rhyme-order  is  ababbcbcc. 
It  is  the  stanza  used  in  Byron's  "Childe  Harold,"  Burns's 
"  Cotter's  Saturday  Night,"  and  Keats's  "  Eve  of  St.  Agues." 

Also  of  nine  lines : 

To  whom  shal  I  then  ployn  of  my  distrcsse  ? 

Who  may  me  helpe  ?    Who  may  my  harm  redresse  ? 

Shal  I  compleyn  unto  my  lady  fre  ? 

Nay,  certes,  for  she  hath  such  hevynesse 

For  fere,  and  eke  for  wo,  that,  as  I  gesse, 

In  lytil  tyme  hit  wol  her  bane  be; 

But  were  she  safe  hit  were  no  fors  of  me! 

Alas,  that  ever  lovers  mote  endure. 

For  love,  so  many  a  perilouse  aventure! 

—  Chaucer :  Complaint  of  Mars. 

This  is  known  as  the  long  Chaucerian  stanza.  It  differs 
from  the  short  Chaucerian  by  the  addition  of  lines  second  and 
fifth ;  making  the  rhyme  order,  aabaabbcc. 

12.  Examples  of  longer  stanzas  are  given  in  the  Appendix, 
p.  15G ;  also  of  the  so-called  Tail-rhyme  stanza. 


40  ENGLISU  VEiiSIFlCATION. 


THE    SONNET. 

13.  The  sonnet  is  not  a  stanza,  but  a  poem  complete  in  itself. 
It  consists  of  fourteen  lines  in  iambic  pentainotor.  It  was 
introduced  into  our  language  from  the  Italian,  but  has  since 
been  modified.  In  the  strict,  or  Italian  form,  it  separates  into 
two  parts,  —  the  first  eight  lines  being  called  the  octave,  and 
the  last  six  the  scstette.  There  are  but  two  rhyming  sounds 
in  the  octave,  —  a  b  b  a  a  b  b  a.  In  the  sestette  there  is 
more  liberty  in  the  rliymes ;  there  may  bo  two  or  three 
rhyming  sounds,  in  either  of  tlie  following  orders  :  cd  cd  c d ; 
ox  c  d  e  c  d  e.  It  is  not  considered  correct,  in  this  strict  form, 
for  the  sestette  to  rhyme  in  couplets,  although  Milton  adopts 
this  method.  In  this  strict,  or  legitimate  sonnet,  a  change 
of  sentiment  was  made  in  passing  from  the  octave  to  the 
sestette. 

Tlie  modified  form  of  the  sonnet  docs  not  break  up  into 
two  sections,  as  in  tlje  Italian,  but  carries  the  tliought  and 
sentiment  on  towards  a  climax  at  the  end.  It  also  allows 
more  liberty  in  the  rliymes.  Thus,  in  Surrey  and  in  Sliake- 
sjjoare,  we  have  the  following  ordur :  a  b  a  h  c  d  c  d  e  f  e  f  g  g. 

The  sonnet  has  been  written  in  English  for  three  hun- 
dred years,  and  by  the  best  poets.  We  need  mention  only 
those  of  W^-att,  Surrey,  Daniel,  Spenser,  Shakespeare,  Milton, 
Wordsworth,  Keats,  and  Mrs.  Urowning.  The  folhnving  will 
serve  as  examples : 

Wlion  to  llic  sessions  of  swoot  silont  tlioiight, 

I  suiniuon  up  n'liicniljriiiir-n  of  lliiii.i;s  past, 
I  sii^li  the  l.irk  of  iii.iiiy  ;i  tliiir^  I  s()ii},'lit, 

An«l  witli  old  woes  iii'W  wail  my  dear  time's  waste; 
TIk'II  ran  I  drown  an  eye,  unused  lo  (low, 

For  pn-cious  friends  hid  in  death's  dateless  ni^ht, 
And  weep  afr<->h  love's  loii^  since  eanecll'd  woe. 

And  nii>an  llii'  i-xpi-nse  of  many  a  vanish'd  sight; 


THE  STANZA.  41 

Then  can  I  grieve  at  grievances  foregone, 

And  heavily  from  woe  to  woe  tell  o'er 
The  sad  account  of  fore-bemoaned  moan, 

Which  I  new  paid  as  if  not  paid  before. 
But  if  the  while  I  tliink  on  thee,  dear  friend. 
All  losses  are  restored,  and  sorrows  end. 

—  Shakespeare. 

It  is  a  beauteous  evening,  calm  and  free; 

The  holy  time  is  quiet  as  a  Nun, 

Breathless  with  adoration  ;  the  broad  sun 

Is  sinking  down  in  its  tranquillity; 

The  gentleness  of  heaven  broods  o'er  the  Sea. 

Listen!  the  mighty  Being  is  awake, 

And  doth  with  his  eternal  motion  make 

A  sound  like  thunder  —  everlastingly. 

Dear  Child!  dear  Girl!  that  walkcst  with  me  here. 

If  thou  appear  untouched  by  solemn  thought, 

Thy  nature  is  not  therefore  less  divine; 

Thou  liest  in  Abraham's  bosom  all  the  year, 

And  worship'st  at  the  Temple's  inner  shrine, 

God  being  with  thee  when  we  know  it  not. 

—  jronlsicorth, 

THE    ODE. 

14.  The  ode  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  comprehensive  metri- 
cal group  known  in  English.  It  may  consist  of  any  num\)er 
of  lines,  with  any  number  of  units  in  a  line,  but  all  boun<l 
together  in  a  symmetrical  Avhole.  Gosse  defines  it  as  "any 
strain  of  enthusiastic  and  exalted  lyrical  verse,  directed  to  a 
fixed  purpose,  and  dealing  progressively  with  one  dignified 
theme."  It  is  usually  divided  into  stanzas  of  unequal  length. 
As  good  examples  of  the  ode,  we  may  cite  Wordsworth's  "  On 
Immortality,"  Coleridge's  "To  France,"  Tennyson's  "On  the 
Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,"  Bayard  Taylor's  "National 
Ode,"  and  Lowell's  "  Commemoration  Ode." 

15.  The  Pindaric  Ode  is  named  from  the  Grecian  poet 
riudar.     lu  its  original  form  it  consisted  of  groups  of  lines 


42  ENGLISH  VEItSIFICATION. 

arranged  in  multiples  of  three.  These  three  groups  were 
named  Strophe,  Antistrophe,  and  Epode.  The  number  of 
lines  in  a  strophe,  antistrophe,  or  epode  varies  from  six  to 
twelve.  In  any  ode,  the  number  of  lines,  their  length,  and 
their  arrangement  remain  the  same  for  each  strophe,  for  each 
antistrophe,  and  for  each  epode.  In  Pindar's  Fourth  Pythian 
Ode  there  are  thirteen  multiples  of  the  three  groups. 

Translations  and  imitations  of  the  Pindaric  Ode,  in  greater 
or  less  degrees  of  exactness,  have  been  numerous  in  English 
poetry,  from  Ben  Jonson  to  Gray. 

16.  The  length  of  an  ode  renders  it  impracticable  to  give  an 
example  entire,  and  the  following  stanza  from  Wordsworth's 
"  Immortality  "  must  suffice  : 

Our  birth  is  but  a  sleep  and  a  forgetting; 

The  Soul  that  rises  with  us,  our  life's  star, 
Ilath  had  elsewhere  its  setting, 
And  conicth  from  afar. 

Not  in  entire  forgeifulness. 

And  not  in  utter  nakedness, 
But  trailing  clouds  of  glory  do  we  come 
From  (jod  who  is  our  home. 

Heaven  lies  about  us  in  our  infancy! 
Shados  of  the  prison  house  begin  to  close 

Upon  the  growing  boy; 
But  he  beholds  the  light  and  whence  it  (lows, 

He  sees  it  in  his  joy; 
The  youth,  who  daily  farlhor  from  the  East 
Must  travel,  still  is  Natun-'s  priest, 

And  by  the  vision  spK-ndid 

Is  on  his  way  attended ; 
At  length  the  man  perceives  it  die  away, 
And  fade  into  the  light  of  common  day. 


KHYME.  43 


CHAPTER  VI. 
RHYME. 

1.  We  have,  thus  far,  treated  of  rhythm  as  the  chief  feature 
of  English  verse.  We  notice  most  the  movement  produced  by 
the  accents.  But  the  quality  of  sounds  also  attracts  attention. 
First  of  all,  similarity  of  sounds  strikes  the  ear.  Syllables 
beginning  alike  were  early  used  to  mark  off  the  metre,  as 
the  accents  mark  off  the  rhythm.  In  Anglo-Saxon  verse, 
the  initial  sounds  of  certain  accented  syllables  were  em- 
ployed in  this  way.  This  was  known  as  Rime.  This  form 
of  rhyme  is  now  called  Alliteration,  and  will  be  described  in 
Chapter  VII. 

2.  The  word,  now  commonly  spelled  Rhyme,  is  limited  to 
similarity  of  vowel-sounds,  most  frequently  used  to  mark  the 
ends  of  lines,  and  thus  to  indicate  the  metre.  To  some  minds, 
rhyme  seems  essential  to  verse.  In  French  poetry,  it  is 
always  used ;  in  classical  Greek  and  Latin,  seldom,  if  ever. 
In  English,  it  may  or  may  not  be  employed,  at  the  option  of 
the  poet.  Verse  without  rhyme  is  called  blank  verse.  Blank 
verse  may  be  written  in  any  kind  of  metre,  but  is  mostly  con- 
lined  to  iambic  pentameter ;  as  in  epic  poetry,  by  Milton,  and 
in  dramatic,  by  Shakespeare. 

3.  Proper  end-rhymes  require  four  conditions : 

First,  the  voicel  sounds  must  be  alike  ;  thus,  now  and  plough 
rhyme  together,  but  do  and  f/o  do  not. 

Secondly,  the  sounds  before  the  vowels  must  be  unlike; 
li(jht  and  brif/ht  are  proper  rliymes ;  but  not  riyht  and  tvrite. 


44  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Thirdly,  the  sounds  after  the  vowel  sounds  must  be  alike : 
thus,  tveak  and  pique  ;  but  not  seen  and  team. 

Fourthly,  the  syllables  must  be  similarly  accented;  ci'ti/ 
and  charity  do  not  rhyme,  though  city  and  jjity  do.  or  charity 
and  p/irify.  City  and  defy  do  not  rhyme,  as  defy  and 
comply  do. 

4.  But  a  syllable  having  a  secondary  accent  is  sometimes 
made  to  rhyme  with  one  similarly  situated,  having  a  primary 
accent ;  as  in  the  last  syllable  of  the  following  words,  found 
in  Milton:  began  and  ocean,  throne  and  contemplation. 

5.  Ehyme  between  final  syllables  is  called  single,  or  mascu- 
line  rhyme ;  between  penultimate  syllables,  double,  or  femi- 
nine ;  as  holy,  sloxcly.  Tiie  rhyme  may  fall  even  farther  back, 
on  the  antepenult,  as  importunate,  unfortunate. 

6.  An  identical  rhyme  is  one  in  wliicli  the  syllables  coincide 
in  sound  tliroughout;  as  in  ^jaZ/i  and  pane.  Such  rhymes 
are,  in  general,  not  regarded  as  allowable,  but  instances  of 
them  may  be  found  in  some  of  the  best  poets.  Thus  Lowell 
has  wholly  and  holy,  ^Nlilton  Ruth  and  ruth,  Tennyson  eai^e 
and  eve.  Some  authorities  lay  down  a  rule  that  the  aspirate 
h  at  the  beginning  of  a  syllable  is  not  enough  to  prevent  two 
syllables  from  forming  an  identical  rhyme ;  but  this  is  gener- 
ally disregarded.  Thus  ^Milton  rhymes  high  and  /,  harms  and 
arms. 

7.  r.ut,  besides  proper,  or  perfect,  rhymes,  others  are  somc- 
tinw's  found  in  good  writers,  in  which  the  conditions  are  not 
wholly  fullillcd;  as  in  love  and  prove  (Marlowe).  Indeed,  it 
is  hard  to  di'tcrinine  the  limit  between  rhymes  that  are  allow- 
able, and  those  that  are  unallowable,  if  we  regard  the  iisage 
of  some  of  our  most  esteemed  ]>oets.  Thus  I'opo  has  light, 
wit  ;  Jove,  love  ;  g<><><l,  bloml  ;  care,  war.     (J  ray,  towcr.t,  adores  ; 


RHYME.  45 

bent,  constraint ;  lost,  coast.  Burns,  startle,  mortal;  censure, 
answer;  sent  you,  memento.  Coleridge,  clasping,  aspen.  Long- 
fellow, abroad  and  accord.  The  widest  liberty,  perhaps,  which 
has  been  taken  by  any  serious  poet,  may  be  found  in  the  writ- 
ings of  Mrs.  Browning ;  as,  fr'mges,  inches  ;  human,  commo7i  ; 
turret,  chariot ;  angels,  candles  ;  conquer,  anchor  ;  vigil,  eagle  ; 
glory,  doorway  ;   Goethe,  beauty. 

8.  In  humorous  poetry  there  is  still  greater  liberty.  Much 
use  is  made  of  two-syllable  and  even  three-syllable  rhymes. 
Thus  in  "Hudibras,"  inclined  to,  mind  to  ;  disparage,  plum  por- 
ridge ;  drum  beat,  combat ;  ecclesiastic,  a  stick.  In  the  "  In- 
goldsby  Legends,"  ^aws  off,  he,  philosophy  ;  sully  verse,  Gulli- 
ver's ;  suffice  at  her,  eyes  at  her  ;  etc. 

9.  It  must  not  be  thought,  however,  that  these  double  and 
triple  rhymes  are  used  exclusively  in  comic  poetry.  In  Ten- 
nyson's "  Ode  on  the  Death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,"  the 
double  rhyme  is  freely  used ;  as  wrought  for,  fought  for.  So 
in  Hood's  pathetic  poem  of  the  "  Bridge  of  Sighs : "  unfortu- 
nate, imjiortunate  ;  scrutiny,  mutiny  ;  evidence,  eminence.  To 
these,  we  may  add  the  following  from  ]\[rs.  Browning : 

Let  us  sit  on  the  thrones 

In  a  purple  subliinitj', 
And  grind  down  men's  bones 

To  a  pale  unanimity! 

10.  It  is  to  be  observed  that  in  any  but  comic  poetr}',  forced 
rliymes  are  objectionable ;  also,  bringing  into  close  proximity 
two  pairs  of  rhymes  which  are  nearly  alike  in  vowel-sounds ; 
as  7irt???e,/a?«P,  contiguous  to  vain,  stain.  It  is  good  practice, 
to  seek,  occasionally,  for  possible  rhymes  to  certain  words 
which  are  capable  of  but  few  rhymes. 

11.  A  modified  form  of  rhyme,  borrowed  from  other  lan- 
guages, is  called  assonance.     In  this  the  similarity  is  wholly 


46  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

in  the  vowel  sounds,  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  syllable 
being  disregarded.    Thus,  in  George  Eliot's  "  Spanish  Gypsy : " 

Maiden  crowned  with  glossy  blackness, 

Lithe  as  panther  foiasl-roamiiig, 
Loncj-armod  naiad,  when  she  danceSf 

On  a  stream  of  ether^oatingr. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  vowel-sounds  after  the  accented  vowel 
should  also  correspond  with  each  other;  as,  reticence,  penitent. 

12.  Having  thus  described  the  character  of  rhyrae  in  gen- 
eral, the  next  point  we  have  to  consider  is  its  \)]ar.e  in  the 
metre.  Its  first  and  simplest  use  is  at  the  end  of  lines.  Fur 
example : 

In  couplets : 

Sweet  was  tlie  sound  when  oft  at  evening's  close, 
Up  yonder  hill  the  village  luurmur  rose. 

—  Goldsmith. 

In  triplets : 

'Tis  life  whereof  our  nerves  aroBCnnt, 
O  life,  not  death,  for  wliioh  we  pant, 
More  life,  and  fuller,  that  wu  want. 

—  Tennyson, 

In  quatrains,  the  second  and  fourth  lines  alone  may  rliyme; 

And  now  the  storm-hlast  came,  and  ho 

Was  lyranuDus  and  strong; 
lie  struck  with  his  o'ertaking  wings, 

And  chased  us  south  along. 

—  CoU-ridgc. 

Or  the  first  and  third  also  : 

Hast  thou  from  the  cavos  of  CJolcoiida,  a  gem 
I'uri!  as  the  Icf-ilro])  that  fro/.t-  on  lln-  mountain? 

Urii^lit  as  tin-  hunuiiing-hiid's  gn-cii  di.idcm. 

When  it  llultcis  in  sunbeams  that  sliiuc  through  a  fountain? 

—  Aeu/i. 


RHYME.  47 

Or,  the  first  may  rhyme  with  the  fourth,  and  the  second 

with  the  third : 

I  sometimes  hold  it  half  a  sin, 
To  put  in  words  the  grief  I  feel, 
For  words,  like  nature,  half  reveal 
And  half  conceal  the  soul  within. 

—  Tennyson. 

The  whole  of  "In  Memoriam"  is  written  in  this  form,  and 
it  is  also  found  in  Ben  Jonson,  Lord  Herbert  of  Cherbury, 
and  others. 

Still  another  form  is  a  a  b  a  : 

I  sent  my  Soul  through  the  Invisible, 
Some  letter  of  that  After-life  to  spell: 

And  by  and  by  my  Soul  returned  to  me, 
And  answered,  "I  Myself  am  Heaven  and  Hell." 

—  Omar  Khayyam  :  transl.  by  Fitzgerald. 

13.  As  we  pass  into  stanzas  of  more  than  four  lines,  we 
find  a  wider  variety  in  the  order  of  rhymes,  some  of  which 
are  described  under  the  stanzas  in  which  they  occur ;  as  in 
the  Rime  Royal,  the  Sonnet,  Foreign  Forms,  etc.  In  the 
Ode,  and  such  poems  as  Emerson's  "Threnody,"  and  Long- 
fellow's "Rain  in  Summer,"  the  end  rhymes  occur  at  widely 
varying  distances  from  each  other. 

14.  But  rhymes  are  by  no  means  confined  to  the  end  of  lines. 
They  may  be  in  the  middle : 

And  now  there  came  both  mist  and  snow, 

And  it  grew  wondrous  cold. 
And  ice  mast  high  came  floating  by, 

As  green  as  emerald. 

—  Coleridge. 

The  splendor /a  ?/.s  on  castle  ivalls 

And  snowy  summits  old  in  story  ; 
The  long  light  shakes  across  the  lakes, 

And  the  wild  cataract  leaps  in  glory. 

-  Tennyson. 


48  ENGLISH   VEIISIFICATION. 

Even  these,  coining  at  definite  division  points  of  the  line, 
are  nuich  the  same  us  end-rliynios.  But  tlieic  may  be  a  larger 
freedom  still : 

Jliirk  I  hark !  the  lark  at  heaven's  gate  sings. 

—  Shakespeare. 

The  snowy-bandcdt  deUcatc-Zai/uZcJ,  dilettante  priest  intone. 

—  Tennyson. 

Can  ever  disserer  my  soul  from  tlio  soul. 

—  I'oe. 

And  {]\o  lark's  hrarCs  outbreak  tuneless. 

—  linnniing. 

These  may  be  said  to  partake  more  of  the  nature  of  asso- 
nance than  of  rhyme. 

15.  A  cnrious  poem  by  Hood  has  three  rhyming  words  at 
the  end  of  each  line  : 

'Tis  eve,  and  from  llu!  dark  park,  hark! 
The  signal  of  the  setting  sun,  one  gun. 

Of  a  different  character  is  the  poem  by  George  Herbert,  in 
whicli  the  rhyming  syllable  is  twice  decapitated  of  its  initial 

sound  : 

I  bk'ssc  thee  Lord,  bocausc  I  grow 
Among  Iby  trees,  wbicli,  in  a  row, 
To  thee  both  fruit  and  order  ow. 

What  open  force  or  hidden  charm 
Can  bla.st  my  fruit,  or  bring  me  harm, 
While  the  inclosure  is  thine  arm  ? 

Inclose  me  still,  for  fear  I  start ; 
Be  to  me  rather  sharp  and  tart. 
Than  let  me  want  thy  hand  and  art. 

When  thou  dost  greater  judgements  spare, 
And  witli  thy  knife  but  prune  and  pare, 
Kv'n  fniilfid  trees  more  fruitful  are. 

Such  sharpnes  shows  the  sweetest  frend; 
Riich  rnttings  rather  heal  than  rend; 
And  such  beginnings  touch  their  end. 


RHYME.  49 

In  the  following  from  Mrs.  Browning's  "  Drama  of  Exile," 
the  first  and  fifth  lines  rhyme  together,  the  second  and  sixth, 
third  and  seventh,  fourth  and  eighth: 

Exiled  Iminan  creatures, 
Let  your  hope  grow  larger  ; 
Larger  grows  the  vision 
Of  the  new  delight: 
From  this  chain  of  Nature's 
God  is  the  discharger, 
And  the  Actual's  prison 
Opens  to  your  sight. 

16.  An  ingenious  example  of  complicated  rhyming  is  seen 
in  the  verses  given  below.  The  poem  is  entitled  ''  A  Pastoral," 
by  A.  J.  INIunby,  of  London.  The  rhyme  order  may  be  indi- 
cated thus : 

a b 

I> c 

(I e 

e c 

« / 

/ y 

d h 

h g 

Two  stanzas  are  needed  to  complete  the  scheme.  It  will 
be  seen  that  the  end  rhyme  of  the  first  line  becomes  the 
middle  rhyme  in  the  second  line ;  and  the  end  rhyme  of  the 
tliird  line  becomes  the  middle  rhyme  of  the  fourth  line.  Not 
only  so,  but  the  middle  rhymes  of  the  first  and  third  lines  of 
the  first  stanza  become  the  middle  rhymes  of  the  first  and 
third  lines  of  the  second  stanza. 

I  sat  with  Doris,  the  shepherd  maiden; 

Her  crook  was  laden  with  wreathed  llowors; 
I  sat  and  wooed  her  through  sunlight  wheeling, 

And  shadows  stealing  fur  hours  and  hours. 


60  EXOLISII   VEIISIFICATION. 

And  she  my  Doris,  whose  lap  encloses 

Wild  sunmier  roses  of  faint  perfume, 
The  while  1  sued  her,  kept  hushed,  and  harkened, 

Till  shades  had  darkened  from  gloss  to  gloom. 

A.  J.  Miiubij  (SfC  Appendix). 

17.  Another  order  of  rhymes  which  has  been  sometimes 
used  in  English  is  the  terza  rima  of  Dante.  In  a  series  of 
triplets  the  rhyme  order  is  a  J  a  —  b  c  b  —  c  d  c  —  d  c  d,  etc. 
Thus  in  Shelley's  "  Ode  to  the  West  Wind :  " 

O  wild  West  Wind,  thou  hrcath  of  Autumn's  being, 
Thou  from  whose  unseen  presence  the  leaves  duad 
Are  driven  like  ghoSts  from  au  enchanter  lleeing, 

Yellow  and  black  and  pale  and  hectic  red, 
Pestilence-stricken  multitudes!     O  thou 
Who  chariotest  to  their  dark  wintry  bed. 

Other  combinations  of  rhyme  will  appear  in  the  chapter 
on  Foreign  Forms  of  Verse. 


ALLITERATION.  51 


CHAPTER   VII. 
ALLITERATION. 

1.  Alltteratto^st  is  a  kind  of  rhyme.  It  is  a  similarity  of 
sound  at  the  beginning  of  syllables  instead  of  at  the  end.  The 
same  or  similar  consonants  or  vowels  are  repeated  at  the  be- 
ginning of  prominent  accented  syllables  in  more  or  less  close 
succession.  There  is  probably  an  instinctive  tendency  to  it  in 
human  speech.  Under  strong  emotion,  there  is  an  impulse  to 
use  words  having  the  same  initial  consonant ;  as  "  You  ^oor 
^>itiful  pettifogger  !  "  This  tendency  is  afterwards  consciously 
employed  in  shaping  proverbs  and  maxims  which  shall  cling 
to  the  memory.  "  i^ast  bind,  /ast  find."  "  Time  and  ride 
wait  for  no  man."     "  When  the  wine  is  in,  the  wit  is  out." 

2.  This  mode  of  utterance  seems  to  be  especially  pleasing  to 
people  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock,  if  we  may  judge  by  the 
headings  of  newspaper  columns  in  our  own  day.  In  genuine 
Anglo-Saxon  verse,  it  was  the  distinguishing  characteristic. 
End-rhyme  was  seldom  used,  and  there  was  no  nice  division  of 
the  line  into  feet.  But  the  rhythm  was  strongly  marked  by 
accent.  The  one  long-line  consisted  of  two  half-lines,  separated 
by  a  cgesural  pause.  In  each  half-line  there  were  at  least  two 
strongly  accentsxl  syllables,  making  four  in  the  wliole  line. 
Of  these  four  strongly  accented  syllables,  the  first  three  were 
still  further  marked  by  liaving  the  same  or  a  similar  initial 
letter.  With  consonants,  the  repeated  letter  must  be  the  sanu' ; 
with  vowels,  any  vowel  might  corresijond  to  any  other.  Tlie 
first  accented  syllable  in  the  second  half-line  was  considered  as 
giving  the  leadiny  letter,  to  which  the  others  must  correspond. 
Thus : 


52  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Frunisccaft/ira  l|/eorran  reccan. 
(The  origin  of  man  from  far  reiale.) 

Tliis  strict  form  of  alliteration  admitted  some  modifications, 
even  in  Anglo-Saxon  verse,  and  gradually  gave  way  to  all  sorts 
of  perversions ;  but  a  good  example  of  it  is  found  even  when 
Anglo-Saxon  verse  had  given  place  to  Early  English.  The 
famous  poem  entitled  "The  Vision  concerning  I'iors  tlie  Plow- 
man," in  the  time  of  Chaucer,  is  considered  a  fair  representa- 
tion of  the  old  use  of  alliteration : 

In  a  .somor  .scson  ||  whon  .soft  was  the  sonnc, 
I  shope  me  in  .s/jroudes  ||  as  1  a  s/icpe  were. 

Even  as  late  as  ICOO  a.d.  wc  find  the  following: 

iSitting  by  a  river's  .sitle,  || 
Where  a  .silent  stream  doth  glide, 
3/use  1  did  of  many  things,  || 
That  the  »nnd  in  quiet  brings. 

—  Griiiie. 

Even  after  this  strict  .system  h:id  gone  out  of  date,  the 
habit  of  alliteration  still  continued,  and  lias  never  lost  its 
charm  for  the  English  car.  Witness  the  opening  of  Tenny- 
son's "  Elaine :  " 

E/aine  the  fair,  K/alne  the  lov.abfe, 
E/aine  the  iily  maid  of  Asto/at. 
3.  But  it  needs  to  be  particularly  noticed  that  the  beauty  of 
alliteration  consists  in  its  spontaneousness,  or  at  least  in 
some  natural  correspondence  between  the  sounds  and  the 
ideiis  or  sentiments  which  tlicy  express.  It  is  comparatively 
easy  to  string  together  a  series  of  words  beginning  with  the 
same  letter,  without  regard  to  their  peculiar  expressiveness. 
This  is  merely  mechanical  work,  as  in  the  curious  piece  of 
verse,  in  wliich  the  first  line  consists  of  words  all  beginning 
with  a,  and  the  second  of  words  beginning  with  b,  and  so  on 
through  the  alphabet : 

An  Anxtrian  army  awfully  arrayoil, 

lioldiy  by  ballery  besieged  Belgrade,  etc.    (See  Appendix.) 


ALLITERATION.  53 

This  hardly  deserves  the  title  of  what  Churchill  calls 
Apt  alliteration's  artful  aid. 

Much  of  the  alliteration  in  Early  English  was  not  much  bet- 
ter than  this,  and  so  it  is  not  strange  tliat  both  Cliaucer  and 
Shakespeare  ridiculed  this  excessive  and  mechanical  use  of  it : 

But  trusteth  wel  I  am  a  solherne  man ; 

I  cannot  geste  row,  raw,  ruff,  by  my  letter. 

—  Prol.  Persone's  Tale. 

Whereat  with  61adn,  with  Moody  Wameful  Made, 
He  bravely  broached  his  /^oiling  ?^ioody  breast. 

—  Midsummer  Aipht's  Dream,  Act  V.,  Scene  1. 

4.  In  making  this  criticism  it  is  not  meant  tliat  alliteration 
should  receive  no  deliberate  attention  on  the  part  of  the  poet, 
and  should  be  left  wholly  to  spontaneous  utterance.  As  in 
the  use  of  all  the  forms  in  the  art  of  versification,  reason  may 
avail  itself  of  the  promptings  of  instinct,  but  only  such  em- 
ployment should  be  made  of  the  form  as  would  seem  to  have 
sprung  naturally  from  the  demands  of  the  sentiment.  An 
illustration  may  be  drawn  from  our  greatest  modern  master  of 
the  art  of  poetry,  whose  taste  is  usually  unexceptionable  in 
such  matters.  In  Tennyson's  "Dream  of  Fair  Women,"  the 
expression  "bold  ilack  eyes"  heightens  the  feeling  intended 
to  be  conveyed;  but  in  the  same  poem,  in  "Zirow-iound  with 
burning  gold,"  no  especial  force  seems  to  be  added  by  the 
alliteration. 

5.  Tlie  following  examples  appear  to  be  genuinely  effective : 

Hear  the  loud  alarum  bells; 

Brazen  bells  1 

What  a  /ale  of  /error  now  their  /urbulency  /ells. 

-  Poe. 

The  a/uill-edged  s/triek  of  a  motlier  divide  the  shuddering  night. 

—  Tennj/ion, 


54  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

The  /isp  of  ieaves  and  ripple  of  rain. 

—  Swinburne. 
Under  his  spurning  feet  the  road, 
Like  an  an-owy  yl/i)ine  river  ^fowcd. 

—  T.  li.  Uciid. 

The  77ioan  of  doves  in  ii;j;?io»iorial  eh/is, 
And  »(ur?;mring  of  ijunu/ierai^fe  ^ees. 

—  Tennyson. 

Smothered  it  wilhiii  my  panting  6ulk, 
Which  almost  6ursL  to  ^elch  it  in  the  sea. 

—  Shakw^pairu  :  Richard  III. 

That  bubble  they  were  ient  on  Mowing  h\g, 
lie  had  6iovvn  already  till  he  6urst  his  cheeks. 

—  lirowning. 
That  the  rude  .soa  grow  civil  at  her  song, 
And  certain  .stars  sliot  madly  from  their  spheres, 
Tu  hear  the  sea-maid's  mu.sic. 

—  Hhakespvare:  Midsumnur  Night's  Dream. 

6.  It  will  bo  noticed,  of  course,  that  it  is  not  necessary  that 
the  same  letter  should  be  used,  if  the  sound  is  the  same;  as, 
in  the  last  example,  c  and  s  are  interchangeable.  Indeed,  we 
may  go  farther  and  sa}'  that  consonants  of  the  same  class  may 
be  used  for  each  other,  as  the  labials  p  and  b,  and  the 
dentals  t  and  d.  Tiiis  is  sometimes  called  "  disguised " 
alliteration. 

7.  It  is  not  well,  however,  to  attempt  a  too  curious  search  for 
alliteration,  as  one  may  easily  discover  instances  never  sus- 
pected by  the  writer,  and  without  special  significance,  lliit 
we  can  hardly  go  amiss  in  attributing  the  charm  of  the  follow- 
ing extract  to  something  more  than  **  giddy  cunning,"  and 
believing  it  to   have  sprung   from  "the  hidden   soul  of   har- 

njony  :  " 

Or  sweett'st  Shakesp>'.in',  Fancy's  cliild, 
H'arlile  his  native  irood-notos  loild. 
And  ever  against  mating  cares, 
Lap  mc  in  soft  //ydian  airs, 


ALLITERATION-.  65 

3/arried  to  immortal  verse; 
6'uch  as  the  meeting  soul  may  pierce 
In  notes  with  ina?iy  a  winding  bout 
Of  linked  sweetness  /ong  drawn  out, 
TFith  wanton  heed  and  giddy  cunning, 
The  7«eltiiig  voice  through  mazes  running, 
Uniwisiing  all  the  chains  that  tie 
The  /iidden  soul  of  /iarniony. 

—  Milton  :  L' Allegro. 


66  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
QUANTITY. 

1.  It  was  stated  in  the  first  chapter,  that  while  rliythm  in 
the  Greek  and  Latin  languages  depended  on  (judntity,  in 
English  it  depends  upon  accent.  For  a  fuller  understanding 
of  this  difference,  it  seems  necessary  to  explain  more  clearly 
the  nature  of  Quantity. 

2.  In  the  earliest  times,  poetry,  or  verse,  was  sung,  rather 
than  read.  It  sprang  up,  probably,  before  there  was  any 
written  language.  Under  the  influence  of  religious  or  war- 
like excitement,  the  primitive  people  were  moved  to  utter 
their  devotion,  or  celebrate  their  victories,  in  words  and  tones 
that  naturally  took  on  the  rhythmic  jjulsations  of  emotion. 
In  a  rude  dance  or  march  about  tlie  altar,  their  voices  kept 
time  to  the  beating  of  their  feet.  So,  however  imperfect  tlio 
melody  or  the  meaning,  the  measure  was,  of  necessity,  very 
regular.  Their  steps  were  all  of  equal  length.  The  same 
qxiantity  of  time  was  occui)it'd  by  each.  Their  verse,  then, 
was  a  sort  of  monotonous  cliant. 

a  This  idea  of  verse  continued  to  prevail  for  many  cen- 
turies. It  was  associated  in  the  popular  mind  with  music 
ratlier  than  with  speech.  Its  tones  were  not  the  natural  tones 
of  conversation,  varying  constantly  in  rapidity  of  utterance, 
but  were  alternately  long  and  short,  in  regular  j)ulsations. 
There  was  probably,  also,  some  difference  in  pitch,  and  in  force, 
of  sound,  but  these  w«'re  ineideiital  <nily.  The  rhic'f  feature 
which  caught  the  car,  and  marked  the  rliythm,  was  the  recur- 


QUANTITY.  67 

rence  of  the  long-drawn  syllables.  Thus,  the  first  line  of 
Virgil's  iEneid,  instead  of  being  read  with  the  natural  vivacity 
of  common  speech,  was  doubtless  sounded  with  somewhat  of 
the  followingr  effect : 


:il=:^iiivp4=^zijs 


iziMTM—M—Mi 


-^1 


::1=:1: 


s—s 


-^ — N 


Ar  -  ma  vi  -  rum-que   ca  -  no  Tro  -  ja;  qui    pri  -  mus  ab      o  -  rls 

Here  every  syllable  had  its  exact  length  or  quantity  of  time 
taken  in  pronouncing  it.  Let  the  syllable  Ar,  with  its  quarter 
note,  occupy  half  a  second ;  then  ma  and  vi  would  each  occupy 
quarter  of  a  second,  and  the  whole  of  the  first  measure  would 
occupy  a  second.     The  same  time  was  given  to  each  measure. 

4.  Quantity  of  time,  therefore,  was  the  basis  of  the  ancient 
rhythm.  Each  measure  had  its  exact  time,  and  each  syllable 
in  the  measure  had  its  proportionate  part  of  tliat  time. 
Every  syllable  in  the  language,  for  purposes  of  metre,  was 
either  long  or  short.  A  long  syllable  occupied  twice  the  time 
of  a  short  one.  A  syllable  was  constituted  long,  either  by  the 
nature  of  its  vowel,  or  by  having  two  or  more  consonants 
following  its  vowel.  So  general  and  established  were  these 
rules,  that  one  may  go  through  an  entire  poem  of  thousands 
of  lines,  as,  for  example,  the  Iliad  or  the  ^Eneid,  and  prove 
the  long  or  short  quantity  of  every  syllable  contained  in  it, 
making  allowance  only  for  the  few  exceptions  which  are 
necessary  with  any  general  rule.  This  shows  that  these 
poems  must  have  been  read  with  a  regard  to  the  length  of 
feet  and  syllables  which  would  make  the  reading  sound  very 
strangely  to  modern  ears. 

5.  What  is  the  change,  then,  that  lias  taken  place  in  modern 
times?  Poetry,  in  common  use,  has  become  separated  from 
music,  and  given  over  to  speech.  "We  are  no  longer  content 
to  chant  our  verse.     We  can  do  much  better  with  music  than 


58  ENGLISH  VEUSIFICATION. 

that.  Music  has  become  capable  of  expressing  sentiments 
and  emotions  in  a  way  that  was  imj)ossible  in  early  times. 

We  now  read  our  poetry  in  the  tones  of  our  ordinary  speech, 
depending  for  the  rhythm,  not  upon  the  quantity  of  the 
syllables,  but  upon  the  natural  undulations  of  accent  and 
emphasis.  Thus,  iu  a  line  from  Longfellow's  "  Evangeline," 
very  similar  to  that  quoted  from  the  i^neid,  we  read : 

This    is    the  |  forest    pri  |  m(5val.     The  |  murmuring  |  pines   and 
the  I  hemlocks. 

Here  the  rhythmic  effect  is  produced  by  the  accent  and 
emphasis  occurring  at  somewhat  regular  intervals.  And  in 
this  there  is  nothing  forced,  or  unnatural.  The  words  receive 
the  same  emphasis  and  accent  as  they  would  in  prose.  The 
art  of  the  poet  consists  iu  the  arrangement  of  the  words  so 
that  the  accents  shall  occur  at  such  regular  intervals  as  to 
produce  a  rhythm.  Nor  is  this  wholly  art ;  for  all  emotion, 
as  we  have  seen,  tends  to  rhythmical  expression. 

6.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  length  of  syllables,  in  this 
last  example,  does  not  alTcct  the  rhythm.  The  vowel  i  in 
primeval  is  as  long  as  i  in  phic.t,  but  the  latter  marks  the 
rhythm,  while  the  former  does  not,  because  it  does  not  happen 
to  have  the  accent.  In  Greek  or  Latin,  a  syllable,  if  long, 
must  always  occupy  the  same  relative  position  in  a  foot.  In 
English,  the  same  syllable  may  occupy  now  one  and  now 
another  position  in  a  foot,  according  as  it  does  or  does  not 
receive  the  accent.  Thus,  in  Latin,  the  first  syllable  in 
humanus  is  long,  and  could  never  stand  in  any  part  of  a  foot 
where  a  short  syllable  would  be  required.     But  in  English, 

I  the  same  syllable  hu  may  stand  at  the  beginning  of  a  trochee, 
\or  an  iambus,  or  a  dactyl,  as  it  happ(Mis  to  be  accented;  as, 
1  I  human  |  ,  or  |  human  \  ity,  or  |  humunt  \  tiirian. 

7.  In  saying,  then,  that  English  verse  does  not  di'ix'iid  on 
quantity,  like  the  Greek  and  Latin,  we  mean  tliat  the  rliythm 


QUANTITY.  69 

is  not  marked  by  the  length  of  the  syllables.  Of  course, 
quantity  of  time  must  come  somewhat  into  the  account,  or 
else  verse  would  not  be  metrical,  or  measured,  language.  The 
line  is  divided  into  measures  of  time,  and  these  measures 
must  be  pretty  nearly  equal  quantities  of  time,  or  they 
would  not  constitute  rhythm.  But,  even  in  this  respect, 
there  is  great  freedom  in  actual  usage.  Whenever  we  attempt 
to  mark  the  beginning  or  end  of  the  feet  with  much  precision 
'or  accuracy  of  time,  the  result  is  at  once  recognized  as  scan- 
ning, not  reading.  Indeed,  some  writers  go  so  far  as  to  deny 
the  possibility  of  feet  in  English. 

8.  But  to  say  that  quantity  does  not  produce  our  rhythm  is 
not  to  say  that  it  is  without  effect  in  our  verse.  In  English, 
as  in  every  other  language,  there  are  long  and  short  syllables. 
First,  there  are  long  and  short  vowels,  as  i  in  viachine,  and  t 
in  pin,  oD  in  boot,  and  do  in  foot.  Less  time  is  occupied  in 
pronouncing  a-hil-i-tij  in  the  usual  manner,  than  if  it  were 
written  a-beel-ee-tij.  Secondly,  a  syllable  in  which  the  vowel 
is  encumbered  with  several  consonants,  is  more  difficult  of 
pronunciation,  and  therefore  occupies  more  time,  than  one  not 
so  encumbered.  The  difficulty  varies  according  to  the  character 
of  the  consonants,  and  the  combinations  which  they  form. 
The  same  amount  of  effort  would  sound  the  syllable  met  in 
less  time  than  the  syllable  strength. 

9.  Now,  this  difficulty  or  ease  of  expression  connects  itself 
naturally  with  the  character  of  the  idea  or  sentiment  to  be 
expressed.  And  so  the  most  skilful  poets  are  tliose  who  use 
the  natural  quantities  of  the  language  to  convey  their  mean- 
ing by  harmonious  correspondence : 

When  Ajax  strives  some  rock's  vast  weight  to  throw, 
The  line,  too,  labors,  and  the  words  move  slow. 
Not  so  when  swift  Camilla  sconrs  the  ^Jain, 


^  Flies  o'er  the  unbending  corn,  and  skJnis  along  the  main. 
^  .  —  I'ope. 


60  ENGLISH   VEIISIFICATION. 

In  the  first  two  lines  we  notice  liow  the  intended  effect  is 
produced  by  the  preponderance  of  long  vowels  and  difficult 
consonants,  together  with  the  skilful  arrangement  of  pause 
and  emphasis.  In  the  last  two  lines^  the  short  vowels,  the 
liquids  and  sibilants,  and  the  movement  unobstructed  by 
pauses,  produce  precisely  the  opposite  effect. 

10.  Appreciation  of  the  capabilities  of  our  language  in  this 
direction  is  steadily  gaining  in  modern  times.  This  is  true 
not  only  of  quantlti/,  but  still  more  of  the  (jualit)/  of  tones. 
]^ot  only  do  the  sounds  of  the  voice  differ  in  length,  but  also 
in  richness,  fulness,  delicacy,  and  in  many  other  qualities 
which  can  be  better  exemplified  than  described.  The  con- 
sideration of  this  subject  will  be  found  in  the  following 
chapter. 


TONE-COLOR.  61 


CHAPTER   IX. 
TONE-COLOE. 

1.  The  term  Tone-Color  is  used  in  acoustics  to  describe 
the  quality  by  whicli  one  sound  differs  from  another,  not  in 
pitch,  or  length,  or  force,  but  in  a  way  in  which  one  shade  or 
tint  of  a  color  differs  from  another.  Just  as  two  shades  of 
red  or  green  are  easily  distinguishable  from  each  other, 
although  of  the  same  general  color,  so  two  notes  of  the  same 
pitch  have  a  different  quality  when  coming  respectively  from 
a  flute  or  a  violin.  The  difference  in  each  case  is  due  to  the 
character  of  the  vibrations,  —  to  the  overtones,  as  they  are 
called,  rising  from  the  fundamental  tone. 

2.  As  in  musical  instruments,  so  in  the  human  voice.  Not 
only  does  one  voice  differ  from  another  in  quality,  but  each 
vocal  element,  each  vowel  and  consonant,  has  its  appro- 
priate tone-color.  It  is  readily  seen  that  some  of  the  vowel- 
sounds  are  much  fuller,  richer,  deeper,  than  others ;  as  of  the 
0  in  rose  compared  with  the  i  in  jmi.  We  have  said  that 
this  quality  is  not  the  same  as  that  of  length.  And  yet 
there  is  a  difference  of  quality,  or  tone-color,  between  the 
so-called  long  and  short  vowels  j  as  the  i  in  ravine  and  the  i 
in  fin. 

3.  This  difference  exists,  of  course,  in  prose  as  well  as  in 
verse,  and  is  seen  in  the  sonorousness  or  mellifluence  of  one 
passage  of  prose,  as  compared  with  another,  liut  it  is  at 
once  evident  of  how  much  greater  effect  this  quality  is  capable 


62  EXGLISU   VERSIFICATION. 

in  a  form  of  speech  like  verse,  in  whicli  so  much  depends  on 
the  pleasure  of  the  ear.  If  rhythm  is  the  anatomy  of  verse, 
without  which  it  could  not  exist,  then  tone-color  is  the  flesh- 
tint  which  clothes  it  witli  life  and  animation.  Tlierefore, 
when  we  say  that  in  English,  rhythm  is  founded  upon  accent 
and  not  upon  quantity,  we  do  not  forget,  that  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  the  sounds  have  as  much  to  do  perhaps  with 
the  beauty  of  our  verse  as  with  that  of  the  ancients. 

4.  In  one  sense,  both  rhyme  and  alliteration,  of  which  we 
have  already  spoken,  come  under  the  head  of  tone-color,  as 
they  both  have  to  do  with  the  quality  of  sounds,  liut  their 
character  is  such  as  to  need  special  treatment,  and  they  reveal 
similuriti/  only,  of  sounds,  whereas  we  have  now  rather  to  do 
with  variety. 

5.  The  main  i)rinciple  which  concerns  us  now  is  that  certain 
tones  are  naturally  significant  of  certain  emotions,  or  expres- 
sive of  certain  ideas.  These  may  be  definable  or  undefinable, 
but  they  are  unmistakable.  Certain  elements  of  language 
are  derived  from  imitation  of  sounds  or  motions  in  the  natural 
world;  as  in  the  words,  fjio'f/le,  splash,  thud.  This  ])rinciplo 
is  called  onomtitnpfrUt,  from  a  Greek  word  whicli  means  ''the 
making  of  names."  But  there  is  something  more  than  mere 
imitation  in  this.  Even  wlicre  there  is  no  exact  similarity, 
there  is  correspondence  between  the  effort  reqiiired  to  utter 
certain  sounds,  and  certain  motions  in  nature.  The  mute  con- 
sonant t  requires  more  elTort  than  the  licpiid  /,  and  the  diiTerence 
is  plainly  indicated  in  the  word  tug  as  compared  with  tlie  word 
Ini/.  L  enters  words  (',\|»ressiv(!  of  litpiid  jnotion,  iinJ/ou\  glUle ; 
anil  in  is  used  of  viurinurinrj  sounds.  Tlien,  again,  besides 
imitation  and  correspondence,  there  is  also  a  suggestiveness 
in  sounds,  which  is  j)erhaps  iiHlfnn.ililc,  but  is  noverthclj'ss 
real.  All  these  elTccts  are  j)rodueod  by  tone-color  in  human 
speech. 


TONE-COLOR.  63 

6.  To  appreciate  this  charm  in  verse,  needs  a  nicer  ear  for 
the  harmonies  of  tone,  than  is  sufficient  to  notice  the  effects 
of  rhyme  or  rhythm.  One  must  read  and  listen  with  the  eye 
and  ear  of  the  imagination.  Take  the  following  example  from 
Longfellow's  "  Voices  of  the  iSTight : '' 

I  heard  the  trailing  garments  of  the  Night 

Sweep  through  her  marhle  liails; 
I  saw  her  sable  skirts  all  fringed  with  light 

From  the  celestial  walls. 

The  poet  here  personifies  the  cool  and  soothing  Kight  as  a 
serene  and  consoling  goddess.  Her  presence  comes  to  him  as 
of  the  one  he  loves,  moving  down  a  dim  marble  corridor,  her 
flowing  silken  robes  just  rustling  on  the  smooth  pavement, 
and  fringed  with  the  fading  light  of  day.  Now  read  the 
verse,  with  the  voice  protracted  on  the  word  trailing,  and 
giving  full  force  to  both  initial  consonants  in  the  word  sweep, 
as  well  as  to  the  vowel  sound  in  the  same  word ;  notice  the 
open  coolness  of  the  vowel  a  in  garment  and  marhle;  give 
fringed  its  complete  expression ;  observe  the  alliteration  in 
sau',  sahle,  skirts,  celestial ;  catch  the  rhythmic  effect  of  the 
trochee  i)receding  the  iambus  in  the  second  line ;  and  we  can 
hardly  fail  to  bring  the  vision  of  the  poet  into  an  open  reality 
to  the  eye  and  ear. 

7.  Imitation,  correspondence,  suggestiveness,  we  have  said, 
are  all  found  in  tone-color.  Those  who  have  studied  the 
subject  minutely,  and  classified  the  vocal  elements,  indicate 
the  various  ideas  which  the  different  vowels  and  consonants 
are  fitted  to  express.  Professor  Tolman,  in  the  "Andover 
Review  "  for  March,  1887,  tells  us  tliat  the  lower  vowels  in 
his  scale,  aiv  (awe),  oo  (gloom),  o  (gore),  etc.,  are  fitted  to 
express  ''solemnity,  horror,  and  deep  grief,"  as  well  as  "slow- 
ness of  motion  and  great  size."  The  colors  at  the  top  of  the 
scale,  i  (little),  e  (met),  a  (mat),  express  "  joy,  gayety,  triviality, 


64  ENGLISH   VErvSIFICATIOX. 

rapid  movement,  delicacy,  and  pliysical  littleness."  Of  the 
consonants,  he  says  the  surd  mutes,  ^j,  t,  k,  express  "unex- 
pectedness, vigor,  explosive  passion,  and  startling  effects  of 
all  kinds ; "  "  s  and  zh  are  rich,  pleasant  colors ; "  I  and  r 
smooth  are  used  for  "  softness,  smoothness,  liquidity,  linger- 
ing, and  love ; "  the  whispered  consonants,  s,  sh,  h,  and  wh, 
express  "  fear,  secrecy,  deception,  caution,  mystery." 

8.  The  following  examples  range  through  the  various  de- 
grees of  imitation,  correspondence,  and  suggestiveness. 

9.  In  the  first,  notice  how  the  surd  mutes  and  their  vowels 
help  to  convey  the  idea  of  littleness,  delicacy,  and  spright- 

liness : 

But  as  for  faeries  that  will  Hit, 

To  make  the  greensward  fresh, 
I  hold  them  exquisitely  knit, 
But  far  too  spare  of  llesh. 

—  Tennyson  :  Taiking  OcUc, 

Speaking  of  Queen  Mab,  Shakespeare  says  : 

She  comes 
In  sliapc  no  bigger  than  an  agate  stone, 

Drawn  hy  a  team  of  little  atomics; 

Her  whip  of  cricket  bone,  the  lash  of  fihn. 

—  Romeo  and  Julii  t,  Act  I.,  Scene  4. 

So  Drayton,  of  the  same  Queen  Mab : 

Hop  and  Mop  and  Drap  so  clear, 
rip  and  Trip  and  Skip  that  were 
To  Mab  their  sovt-reign  dc^ar, 

Her  special  maids  of  honor  ; 
Fib  and  Tib  and  I'inck  an<l  Tin, 
Tick  and  Quick  and  .lill  and  .lin, 
Tit  and  Wit  and  Wap  and  Win, 

The  train  that  wail  upon  lier. 


TONE-COLOR.  65 

The  wreck  of  a  tiny  glass  fleet  upon  a  golden  reef,  seen  in 

a  dream,  is  thus  described : 

The  brittle  fleet 
Touch'd,  clink'd,  and  clash'd,  and  vanish'd. 

Tennyson:  Sia  Dreams. 

Similarly  : 

Crisp  foam  flakes  scud  along  the  level  sand. 

—  Tennyson. 
Crisping  ripples  on  the  beach 
And  tender  curving  lines  of  creamy  spray. 

—  Tennyson. 

10.   Observe  the  character  of  eacli  of  the  following  examples, 
and  notice  the  vocal  elements  which  help  to  produce  it : 

And  clattering  flints  battered  with  clanging  hoofs. 

—  Tennyson. 
So  wrangled,  brangled,  jangled  they  a  month. 

—  Browning. 
And  evermore,  the  harsh  tambour 

Breaks  in  upon  tlieir  wailing. 

—  Lock-fiart. 

The  ponderous  syllables,  like  sullen  waves 

In  the  half-glutted  hollows  of  reef-rocks. 

Came  booming  thus. 

—  Keats. 

{Of  thour/Ms  in  dreams,  like  pehhlcs  in  a  brook,) 
Rolled  on  e.ach  other,  rounded,  smoothed,  and  brought 

Into  the  gulfs  of  sleep. 

—  Tennyson. 

Softly  sweet  in  Lydian  measures. 

—  Dryden. 

And  lucent  syrops,  tinct  with  cinnamon. 

—  Keats. 
The  moan  of  doves  in  immemorial  elms, 
And  murmuring  of  innumerable  bees. 

—  Tennyson. 

A  low  melodious  thunder  to  the  sound 
Of  solemn  psalms  and  silver  litanies. 

—  Tinny  son. 

The  shard-borne  beetle  with  his  drowsy  hums 
Ilath  rung  night's  yawning  peal. 

—  Shakespeare:  Macbeth. 


CG  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

11.  Contrcost  the  tones  of  Lady  ^lacbeth  in  the  resolute 
lianluess  of  her  guilt,  with  the  innocence  of  Banquo,  where 
each,  at  different  times,  is  speaking  of  the  entrance  to  the 
castle : 

Lady  Machcth.     Tlie  rawn  hiinstlf  is  hoarse 
Tliat  croaks  the  fatal  enteraiice  of  Duncan 
Under  my  battlements. 

lianqxio.     This  giiost  of  sunimor, 
The  tomple-hannting  martlet,  does  approve 
By  his  lov'il  masonry,  that  the  heaven's  breath 
Smells  \Vooinj;Iy  here.  .  .  . 
The  air  is  delicate. 

So  Milton  portrays  the  opening  of  the  gates  of  heaven  and 

of  hell : 

Ileavcn  opened  wide 
Her  cver-<luring  gates,  liarmonious  sound, 
On  golden  hinges  turning. 

On  a  sudilen  open  fly 
"With  impetuous  recoil  and  jarring  soimd, 
Th'  infernal  doors,  and  on  their  hinges  grate 
Harsh  thunder. 

12.  Only  brief  mention  can  be  made  of  whole  poems  charac- 
terized by  effectiveness  of  tone-color.  Soutliey,  in  "Lodore," 
mimics  with  liis  ver.se  all  the  tumultuous  changes  of  a  cataract. 
Lowell,  in  "I'ieturos  from  Applodoro,"  sets  wonderfully  before 
us  the  craggy  island,  bufieted  by  the  billows  of  tlie  Athmtic. 
One  short  specimen  must  suffice  : 

I  have  seen  it  when  its  crags  seomod  frantic, 

Butting  against  the  mad  Atlantic; 
When  surge  on  surge  would  heap  cnormo 

(MifTs  of  emeral.I,  topped  with  snow, 

That  lifted  ntid  lifted,  and  llien  let  go 
A  great  wliilc  avalanilie  of  thmuler. 

A  grinding,  blinding,  deafening  ire, 
Monadnoek  might  liavc  Iri-mbled  under. 


TONE-COLOR.  67 

In  Tennyson's  "Lotus  Eaters,"  the  inimitable  expression  of 
drowsy  languor  pervades  the  whole,  produced  in  large  measure 
by  the  tone-color  of  the  prevailing  sounds : 

In  the  afternoon  they  came  unto  a  land, 

In  which  it  seem(id  always  afternoon. 

All  round  the  coast  the  languid  air  did  swoon, 

Breathing  like  one  that  hath  a  weary  dream. 

Full  faced  above  the  valley  stood  the  moon ; 

And  like  a  downward  smoke,  the  slender  stream 

Along  the  cliff  to  fall  and  pause  and  pause  and  fall  did  seem. 

Here  are  cool  mosses  deep, 

And  tlirough  the  moss  the  ivies  creep, 

And  in  the  stream  the  long-leaved  flowers  weep. 

And  from  the  craggy  ledge  the  poppy  hangs  in  sleep. 

Last  of  all,  we  mention  the  remarkable  poems  of  Poe, 
"Ulalume,"  "The  Raven,"  and  especially  "The  Bells,"  in 
which  last  the  perfection  of  success  seems  to  have  been 
reached  in  uttering  the  inarticulate  language  of  nature  in 
articulate  speech. 


68  ENGLISH   VEIISIFICATION. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ON   READING   VEESE. 

1.  We  liave  now  reached  that  point  in  our  study  of  the 
elements  of  metre,  in  which  we  may  put  our  knowledge  into 
practice,  so  far  as  to  read  properly  any  ordinary  specimen  of 
English  verse.  Two  things  we  need  to  remember;  lirst,  that 
any  serious  piece  of  composition  is  to  be  read  for  the  meaning 
of  it  rather  than  the  jingle;  but,  secondly,  a  piece  of  good 
verse  can  be  read  for  the  meaning,  and  at  the  same  time  give 
to  the  ear  the  pleasure  of  rhythm.  The  power  to  make  verse 
of  which  this  is  possible  constitutes  the  difference  between  a 
good  poet  and  a  poor  one. 

2.  This  indicates  the  way  in  which  we  are  to  proceed  to 
read  verse  properly.  We  are  not  to  find  out,  first  of  all,  liow 
to  scan  it,  and  then,  dividing  it  up  into  feet,  to  put  the  accent 
in  tlie  proper  places,  regardless  of  tlie  meaning,  liut  we  are 
to  read  it  to  express  as  completely  as  possible  the  thought  and 
feeling  in  the  mind  of  tlie  writer,  letting  ax'cent  and  emphasis 
fall  naturally  wliere  they  will.  Then,  discovering  tlie  metri- 
cal intention  of  tl»e  writer,  we  shall  see  where  a  slight  modifi- 
cation of  emphasis  may  be  necessary  to  give  the  riiytlim  its 
best  exj)ression. 

3.  For  we  must  observe  this.  Rhythm  depends  on  stress. 
Stress  includes  accent  and  emphasis.  Tlie  accent  of  words  is 
fixed,  for  any  given  time  and  country.  We  cannot  modify 
that.     Rut  cnjphasis  varies  with  the  meaning.     It  changes  its 


ON  READING  VERSE.  69 

place  according  to  the  conception  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  or 
reader.  Therefore,  if  our  emphasis  does  not  seem  to  make  the 
verse  read  rhythmically,  it  may  be  possible  to  catch  the  rhythm, 
by  varying  the  emphasis  to  express  more  nearly  the  concep- 
tion of  the  author.  In  lyric  poetry,  especially,  we  cannot 
always  determine  the  rhythmic  intention,  in  the  first  line  or 
two  of  the  poem.  We  may  need  to  read  a  whole  stanza  for 
that  purpose. 

4.  Notice  this  also.  Although  stress  makes  the  rhythm,  it 
is  not  necessary  that  there  should  be  equal  force  in  every 
stress.  All  that  is  needed  is  that  the  stressed  syllable  shall 
be  distinguished  from  the  unstressed  syllables.  The  stressed 
syllables  may  all  differ  from  one  another  in  their  degree  of 
force. 

5.  Read  the  poem,  therefore,  to  give  the  meaning,  letting 
the  emphasis  be  guided  somewhat  by  the  evident  metrical 
intention.  Then,  if  the  stressed  syllables  be  marked,  it  will  be 
found  that  they  will  divide  the  lines  according  to  some  defi- 
nite rhythm  and  metre.  It  will  be  seen,  that  even  where 
there  are  slight  differences  of  conception  as  to  the  exact 
meaning  and  the  proper  emphasis,  the  different  readings  will 
each  be  susceptible  of  correct  rhythmical  measurement. 
"Accent  is  always  arranged  by  the  great  masters,  so  as  to 
enhance  and  illustrate  their  prosody ;  and  they  require  of  tlije 
reader  only  that  he  should  understand  their  meaning,  and 
deliver  it  with  proper  accentuation ;  then  they  will  answer  for 
the  prosody  coming  right."  —  Buskin :  Elements  of  English 
Prosodi/. 

6.  In  ])utting  tliis  principle  into  practice,  it  needs  to  be 
remembered  that  in  English,  there  is  a  large  number  of  sub- 
ordinate words,  —  articles,  prepositions,  and  conjunctions,  — 
which  ordinarily  require  no  emphasis.  Such  are  a,  the,  of, 
on,  ivith,  and,  etc.     Some  persons  make  too  much  of  these, 


70  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

even  in  prose ;  by  sounding,  for  instance,  the  article  a  like 
the  letter  a.  Such  words  should  be  sounded  obscurely,  like 
the  final  a  in  America.  This  applies  as  well  to  poetry. 
Never  emphasize  unimportant  words  for  the  sake  of  the 
rhythm.  Empliasize  them  only  when  there  is  some  special 
reason  for  doing  so.  To  disregard  tliis  principle  is  inev- 
itably to  introduce  sing-song  into  the  verse.  Yet  some 
writers  on  verse  insist  on  placing  a  mark  of  accent  over 
such  syllables,  if  they  occur  in  that  part  of  a  foot  which 
should  regularly  be  accented.  They  call  this  a  metrical  or 
unemphatic  accent,  as  distinguished  from  the  natural  accent. 
But  it  is  dilticult  to  see  how  such  syllables  or  words  can  be 
accented  in  any  way  by  the  voice,  and  not  produce  a  sing-song 
effect.     Thus  we  find  lines  marked  as  below  in  a  treatise  on 

metre : 

That  lic'als  the  wouinl,  ami  ciircs  not  thd  disgr.-ice. 

—  Shakespeare, 

But  fuol'd  hy  liope,  men  favor  thf-  (lec(?it. 

—  Dryden. 

The  mother  of  mankind,  what  time  his  pride. 

-  Milton. 
'Tis  siire  the  luirdest  science  16  forget. 

—  Pope. 

Here  such  unimportant  words  as  the  and  of  and  to  are 
accented,  simply  because  they  occur  in  the  last  part  of  a  foot 
which  should  be  an  iambus  according  to  the  regular  scheme 
of  the  ver.se.  But  let  us  read  naturally,  whatever  comes  of 
the  metre,  and  then  we  shall  find,  when  we  come  to  divide  the 
line  according  to  the  metre,  that  other  feet  can  take  the  place 
of  tlie  iambus,  —  as,  the  trochee  and  the  pyrrhic,  —  without 
destroying,  but  rather  enhancing,  the  pleasure  of  the  rhythm. 
Thus,  in  the  lines  quoted  above,  reading  naturally,  and  divid- 
ing into  feet  of  two  syllables  each,  we  have  : 

That  heals  |  the  wound  |  and  ciircs  |  nOl  the  |  disgrice;  | 

with  the  fourth  foot  a  pyrrhic;  that  is,  with  nu  accent. 


ON  READING   VERSE.  71 

The  second  line  has  also  a  pyrrhic  in  the  same  place.  The 
third  has  it  in  the  second  place,  and  the  fourth  again  in  the 
fourth. 

Or,  a  trochee  may  take  the  place  of  the  ianibus  : 

Spreads  his  |  light  wings  |  and  In  |  a  mo  |  ment  Aids.  | 
Here  we  have  trochee,  spondee,  and  pyrrhic  in  the  same  line. 

7.  One  more  hint  is  needed  in  this  connection.  Besides 
the  natural  reading  with  proper  accent  and  emphasis,  due 
regard  must  be  had  to  the  pauses ;  not  only  those  required  by 
the  sense,  but  also  the  caesural  pause  which  occurs  at  the 
appropriate  break  in  the  line,  and  the  pause  at  the  end  of  the 
line.  The  csesural  pause  is  soon  determined  by  the  ear,  but 
once  found,  it  should  not  be  followed  mechanically.  For 
example,  in  *'  Locksley  Hall,"  when  we  have  discovered  that 
the  caesural  pause  occurs  after  the  fourth  foot,  Ave  should 
bring  ourselves  into  the  realm  of  the  ridiculous  by  applying 
our  rule  in  the  second  of  the  two  following  lines : 

He  will  hold  thee,  when  his  passion  ||  shall  have  spent  its  novel  force, 
Something  better  than  his  dog,  a  ||  little  dearer  than  his  horse. 

8.  Besides  the  caesural  pause,  some  slight  pause  should  also 
be  indicated  at  the  end  of  the  line.  Some  persons  seem  to 
think  that  in  order  to  read  verse  naturally,  it  is  necessary  to 
push  right  on,  if  the  sense  requires  it,  regardless  of  the  end 
of  the  lines,  as  if  it  were  prose.  The  effect  of  this  is,  espe- 
cially in  lyric  poetry  with  lines  of  varying  length,  to  produce 
a  confusion  in  the  mind  of  the  hearer,  which  destroys  the 
effect  of  the  rhythm.  Certainly,  if  it  were  not  desirable  that 
the  end  of  the  line  should  be  indicated  to  the  ear,  it  would 
not  have  been  necessary  to  indicate  it  to  the  eye.  The  line  is 
one  of  the  natural  divisions  of  the  metre,  and  should  be  recog- 
nized as  such.  By  nice  attention,  this  can  always  be  done  in 
the  reading,  without  impairing  the  connection  in  the  meaning. 


72  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

9.  So  far,  we  liave  had  reference  strictly  to  the  rhythm  ami 
the  metre.  This  is  tlie  anatomy  of  tlie  verse.  Kext,  comes 
tlie  clothing  of  it  with  flesh  and  blood.  That  is,  we  need  the 
feeling  of  everything  that  makes  it  melodious  and  liarmonious, 
in  variety  of  tone.  There  must  be  a  feeling  for  the  effect  of 
consonant  and  vowel  sounds.  Khyme,  assonance,  alliteration, 
onomatopoeia,  all  come  in  for  a  share  of  attention  ;  and  not  only 
these,  but  the  duration  or  quantity  of  vowel-sounds,  even  where 
neither  of  the  above  effects  is  noticeable.  Not  only  intelli- 
gence, but  sympathy,  is  needed  for  such  an  interpretation  of 
the  poet's  work.  "We  must  enter  into  tiie  scene  or  the  event, 
picture  it,  feel  it,  and  not  only  so,  but  feel  the  author's 
portrayal  of  it. 

10.  With  these  principles,  let  us  proceed  to  read,  first,  an 
examj)le  of  heroic  blank  verse,  as  the  most  simple  and  regular 
in  its  construction.  My  custom  has  been,  in  teaching  classes 
who  have  followed  the  method  here  proposed,  to  write  the 
given  extract  upon  the  blackboard,  and  then  to  ask  each 
member  of  the  class,  in  turn,  to  read  it  naturally.  The  teacher 
stands  prepared  to  mark  each  syllable  that  receives  either 
accent  or  emphasis.  There  will  not  be  much  room  for  differ- 
ence of  opinion  as  to  accent;  for  there  is  general  agreement  as 
to  tlie  accent  of  English  words.  The  difTerence  of  idea  and 
sentiment  will  appear  in  the  emphasis;  and  even  in  this,  it 
will  be  seen  that  different  interpretations  can  be  given  with- 
out impairing  the  rhythmic  effect. 

11.  To  avoid  repetition,  we  give  the  passage  as  already 
marked,  reserving  comment  on  marking  till  the  end.  First 
of  all,  however,  the  jjoem  should  have  been  read  silently, 
simply  to  get  the  conception  and  the  feeling  contained  in  it; 
the  time,  before  sunrise ;  the  place,  at  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tain ;  the  air,  above  the  mountain,  still  dark,  with  one  glowing 


ON  READING  VERSE.  73 

star;  the  mountain  itself  a  solid  wedge  in  the  surrounding 
darkness ;  the  pine  forest  at  the  foot ;  the  torrents  rusliing 
ceaselessly  towards  us.  All  the  awe  and  sublimity  of  the 
scene  should  be  upon  us. 

Hast  thou  a  charm  to  stay  the  morning-star 
In  his  steep  course  ?    So  long  he  seems  to  pause 
On  thy  balil  awful  head,  O  sovran  Blanc! 
The  Arve  and  Arveiron  at  thy  base 
Rave  ceaselessly;  but  thou,  most  awful  form  I 
Risest  from  forth  thy  silent  sea  of  pines, 
How  silently!    Around  thee  and  above 
Deep  is  the  air  and  dark,  substantial,  black, 
An  ebon  mass;  niethinks  thou  piercest  it 
As  with  a  wedge!    But  when  I  look  again. 
It  is  thine  own  calm  home,  thy  crystal  shrine, 
Thy  habitation  from  eternity! 

0  dread  and  silent  Mount !     I  gazed  upon  thee, 
Till  thou,  still  present  to  the  bodily  s^^nse, 

Didst  vanish  from  my  thought;  entranced  in  prayer, 

1  worshipped  the  Invisible  al(3ne. 

—  Coleridge :  Address  to  Mont  Jilanc. 

Of  course,  the  accents  were  fixed,  on  words  of  more  than 
one  syllable.  There  was  no  question  about  morning,  mvfid,  etc. 
In  emphasis,  there  may  have  been  some  choice.  For  example, 
some  might  have  been  disposed  to  mark  Hast,  instead  of  thou, 
at  the  beginning.  But  it  will  be  seen  that  the  question  is  not 
asked  so  much  for  the  sake  of  an  answer,  and  therefore 
requires  no  special  force  on  the  interrogative  word.  Such 
force  would  be  too  precipitate  as  the  first  word  of  address  to 
the  awful  form.  There  would  simply  be  a  gentle  stress  on 
thoxi,  as  tlie  subject  of  the  sentence.  In  a  similar  way,  thij  in 
the  third  line  has  some  stress,  as  relating  to  the  subject  of  ad- 
dress, but  not  so  much  as  the  words  immediately  following  — 
bald  awful.  In  the  eleventh  line,  Avhatever  force  thine  might 
have  is  lost  in  comi)arison  with  the  three  strong  stresses 
immediately  following,  own  calm  home. 


74  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATIOX. 

12.  We  now  proceed  to  divide  the  lines  into  feet,  or  units, 
of  two  syllables  each. 

Hast  thou  I  a  chdrm  |  to  st;iy  |  the  morn  |  in;?  st;ir  | 
In  his  I  stL'cp  course  ?  |    So  long  |  he  seems  |  to  pause  | 
On  thy  I  bald  riw  |  ful  head,  |  O  sov  |  ran  Blanc!  | 
The  Ar  |  ve  and  |  Arvei  |  ron  at  |  thy  base  | 
Kave  cease  |  lessly;  |  but  thou,  |  most  aw  |  ful  form  I  | 
Ilisest  I  from  forth  |  thy  si  |  lent  sea  |  of  pines  | 
How  si  I  lently!  |    Around  |  thee  and  |  above  | 
Deep  is  |  the  liir  |  and  dark,  |  substiin  |  tial,  black,  | 
An  eb  |  on  mass:  |  methinks  |  thou  pier  |  cest  it  | 
As  with  I  a  wedge!  (    lint  when  |  I  ir>ok  |  again,  | 
It  is  I  thine  own  |  calm  home,  |  thy  crys  |  lal  shrine,  | 
Thy  liab  |  ita  |  tion  from  |  eter  |  nily!  | 

0  dr(^ad  |  and  si  |  lent  Mount!  |    1  gazed  |  upon  |  thee 
Till  thou,  I  still  jnes  |  ent  to  |  the  bod  |  ily  srnse,  | 

Didst  van  |  ish  from  |  my  thought;  |  entranced  |  in  pniyer,  | 

1  wor  I  shii>ped  the  |  Invis  |  ible  |  alone.  | 

In  sixteen  lines  of  five  feet  cacli,  which  would  regularly 
contain  eighty  iambuses  in  this  kind  of  metre,  we  find  fifty- 
seven  iambuses,  enough  to  give  the  iambic  movement;  with 
fifteen  pyrrhics,  five  spondees,  two  trochees,  and  one  anapoest. 
There  is  also  one  supernumerary  syllable,  or  feminine  ending. 

13.  How  much  more  impressive  is  the  effect  of  this  variety, 
than  if  the  feet  liad  been  uniformly  iambics !  The  spondees 
give  weight  and  sublimity.  Notice  the  effect  of  a  spondee  fol- 
lowed by  a  pyrrhic,  in  Race  ceuseloisii/,  where  the  torrents  seem 
to  pause,  and  then  break  into  fragments.  Also,  Arve  and 
Arveiroti,  beginning  alike,  but  accented  differently,  Notica 
the  constant  changes  in  the  place  of  the  ciesural  pause.  Ob- 
serve the  wejght  of  the  heavy  vowels,  in  pause,  bald,  and 
awful ;  the  crystal  clearness  in  charm  and  star.  Other  effects 
might  also  be  detected,  although  the  i)asbage  is  not  strongly 
marked  in  tone-color. 


ON  READING  TERSE.  75 

14.  In  lyric  poetry,  where  we  are  no  longer  guided  by  the 
strict  form,  as  in  iambic  pentameter,  it  is  not  always  easy  to 
catch  the  rhythm  on  the  first  reading.  The  opening  lines 
may  not  be  so  determinate  in  emphasis  as  to  fix  the  character 
of  the  metre.  In  such  cases,  it  is  necessary  to  read  one  or 
more  stanzas,  to  get  the  movement  intended.     Thus  : 

Down  toward  the  twilight  drifting. 

Toward  is  accented  on  the  first  syllable  according  to  the 
dictionaries,  and  may  be  pronounced  as  either  one  or  two 
syllables.  It  may  be  esteemed  so  unimportant,  compared  with 
down,  as  to  lose  its  accent  in  comparison.  So  we  might  sup- 
pose either  of  the  following  readings  : 

Down  tOw'rd  th6  ]  twilight  |  drifttng,  | 
Down  tow'rd  |  the  twi  |  light  drift  |  ing.  | 

But  reading  the  whole  stanza  we  find  the  movement  to  be 
different  from  either  of  these : 

Down  to  I  ward  the  |  twilight  |  drifting,  | 

Hover  |  now  the  |  sliadows  |  fast; 
L6!  the  I  evening  |  clouds  are  |  rifting,  | 

And  the  |  storm  is  |  over  |  past. 

—  S.  D.  nobbing. 

15.  Again: 

So  we'll  go  no  more  a-roving. 

This  might  be  read : 

So  we'll  I  go  no  |  more  a-  |  roving.  | 

But  we  find  that  Byron  intended : 

So  we'll  go  I  no  more  |  a-rov  |  ing, 
So  late  I  into  |  the  night,  |  etc. 

16.  Once  more : 

One  word  is  too  often  profaned, 

is  not  especially  rhythmical  if  read : 

6ne  word  is  too  often  profaned; 


76  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

lu  its  connection,  liowever,  it  becomes  : 

6ne  word  I  Is  tOo  of  |  tCu  profaned  | 

For  md  |  to  profane  |  it ; 

One  feel  |  ing  too  false  |  ly  disdained  | 

For  thee  I  to  disdain  |  it. 

—  ShelUy. 

17.  So,  even  in  iambic  pentameter,  a  line  may  seem  entirely- 
unrhythmical,  if  we  fail  to  feel  the  emphasis  as  it  lay  in  the 
mind  of  the  writer.     Thus,  in  Milton : 

'Tis  true  I  am  that  spirit  unfortunate, 
will  seem  like  prose  if  thus  accented : 

'Tis  true  |  i  am  |  that  spir  |  It  Qnfor  |  tflnate.  | 

Throw  the  emphasis,  however,  on  urn  as  the  sense  requires, 
and  it  becomes  at  once  rhythmical,  if  we  remember  that  sjiirit 
is  frequently  one  syllable  in  tlie  poets: 

'Tis  true  |  I  au'i  |  that  spir' I  |  uiifor  |  tunate.  | 

18.  The  following  extract  from  liuskiu  illustrates  this  dis- 
crimination in  emphasis : 

"A  true  master-poet  invariably  calculates  on  his  verse 
being  first  read  as  })rose  would  be ;  and  on  the  reader's  being 
jdeasantly  surprised  by  finding  that  he  lias  fallen  unawares 

into  music. 

I  said  thore  was  naotliinjj  I  halod  like  men! 
—  Tiie  deil  gae  wi'  him,  to  holieve  me. 

"The  only  doubtful  accent  in  this  piece  of  entirely  prosaic 
and  straightforward  expression  is  on  the  him,  and  this  accent 
depends  on  the  context.  Had  the  sentiment  been,  for  instance, 
'He's  gaen  —  the  deil  gae  wi'  him,'  the  accent  woidd  prob- 
ably have  been  on  the  wi\  But  here,  the  speaker  is  intent  on 
fastening  the  fault  on  her  lover  instead  of  on  herself;  and  the 
accent  comes  therefore  full  on  the  A////,  if  only  tlie  retider 
understands  completely  the  sense  of  what  he  is  reading." 


ON  READING  VERSE.  77 

19.  But  that  there  may  be  difference  of  opinion  as  to 
emphasis  and  expression,  may  be  seen  by  the  exceptions 
taken  by  Mr.  Hodgson  to  the  judgment  of  Mr.  Ruskin,  in  cer- 
tain instances.  Mr.  Ruskin  accents  the  first  line  of  Tenny- 
son's well-known  stanza,  as  follows,  and  I  think  the  common 
instinct  would  agree  with  him  : 

Come  in  |  to  the  gar  |  den,  Maud,  | 
For  the  bliick  |  bat  night  |  has  flown;  | 

for  the  general  rhythm  of  the  lyric  is  undoubtedly  anapaestic. 
But  Mr.  Hodgson  says :  "  I  should  read  the  first  and  third 
lines  with  a  strong  stress  on  Come,  and  on  the  first  syllable  of 
garden,  leaving  everything  else  more  or  less  unstressed.  The 
lover  is  eager  for  her  to  come  ;  he  is  waiting  at  the  gate ;  she 
is  in  the  house.  He  wants  her  to  come  to  him  where  he  is 
waiting:  Come;  —  don't  delay.  Emphasizing  into  contrasts 
his  wish,  not  with  delaij,  but  with  get  out  of  the  garden." 

20.  This  last  sentence  affords  a  good  occasion  to  illustrate 
the  principle  that  there  may  bo  all  degrees  of  difference  of 
stress  without  affecting  the  general  flow  of  the  rhythm.  Mr. 
Hodgson  understands  Mr.  Ruskin  as  intending  to  throw  strong 
emjjhasis  upon  into,  as  if  to  contrast  it  with  out  of ;  which 
would  indeed  show  a  ridiculous  nervousness  on  the  part  of 
the  lover.  Whereas  the  ordinary  accent  of  into,  with  the 
slight  preponderence  of  stress  upon  the  first  syllable,  is  suffi- 
cient to  give  the  rhythmical  effect  intended.  This  is  one  of 
the  principles  which  need  special  consideration  in  the  study 
of  verse :  that  it  is  the  alternation  between  stressed  and  un- 
stressed syllables  which  determines  the  rhythm,  without  refer- 
ence to  the  difference  of  emphasis  among  tlie  stressed  syllables 
themselves.  This  difference  of  emphasis  may  result  in  pht'as- 
iiig,  wliich  has  already  been  described  as  an  additional  effect, 
superimposed  upon  tlie  fundamental  flow  of  the  verse. 


78  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATIOX. 

21.  Another  example  is  from  "In  Memoriam:" 

Or  that  the  past  will  always  win 

A  glory  from  its  being  far, 

And  orb  into  the  perfect  star 
We  saw  not  when  we  moved  therein. 

^fr.  Euskin  says:  "If  the  reader  has  intelligence  enough 
to  put  the  accent  on  the  Or,  and  he  of  being,  the  verse  comes 
right;  but  imagine  the  ruin  to  it  if  a  merely  formal  reader 
changed  the  first  line  into  a  regular  iambic  by  putting  the 
accent  on  that  !  " 

Mr.  Hodgson  replies :  "  My  intelligence  is  not  enough,  I 
confess,  to  make  me  put  the  accent  on  the  be  of  being,  though 
it  is  adequate  to  the  Or.  To  put  the  stress  on  the  be  of  being 
is  to  make  logic  of  the  verse,  and  bad  logic  into  the  bargaiiu 
The  true  stress  is  on  far.  That  gives  an  imaginative  picture 
of  the  receding  past.  Whereas,  to  lay  stress  on  being  is  to 
give  an  argument  for  the  i)ast  winning  a  glory,  and  a  bad 
argument  to  boot,  because  much  of  the  past  is  very  near  — 
yesterday,  for  instance." 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH   FORMS.  79 


CHAPTER  XI. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS. 

1.  Three  periods,  according  to  Schipper,  mark  the  growth 
of  English  verse ;  first,  the  Anglo-Saxon ;  second,  the  Norman 
and  Transition;  third,  the  New  English,  or  Modern  Period. 

2.  The  Anglo-Saxon  gave  the  strong  basis  of  our  rhythm, 
characterizing  it  as  Germanic,  or  accented,  as  distinguished 
from  the  classical,  or  quantitative  metres.  There  was  no 
smooth  or  regular  flow  of  syllables,  nor  were  the  syllables 
counted  as  in  Greek  and  Latin.  The  emphatic  syllables  in  the 
line  were  forcibly  struck  with  a  strong  accent,  leaving  the 
other  syllables  to  take  care  of  themselves,  whether  few  or 
many.  —  A  long-line  was  made  up  of  two  half-lines,  in  each  of 
which  were  two  strong  accents.  Of  these  four  strongly  accented 
syllables,  the  third,  and  either  or  both  the  first  and  second  were 
still  further  indicated  by  having  the  same  or  similar  initial 
letter.  This  accented,  alliterated  long-line,  without  stanzas, 
was  the  chief  characteristic  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  period.  Al- 
though afterwards  modified,  broken  up,  and  discarded,  it 
retained  some  influence,  even  to  the  time  of  Chaucer. 

3.  During  the  Norman  and  Transition  period,  various  modi- 
fying influences  came  in,  from  French  and  from  Latin  sources. 
These  affect  the  character  of  tlie  rhythm  and  the  length  of  the 
line,  and  introduce  the  stanza.  —  The  rhythm  becomes  more 
uniform  and  regular  by  the  greater  attention  paid  to  the  un- 


80  ENGLISH  VEUSiriCATION. 

accented  syllables.  These  are  more  closely  proportionod  to 
the  number  of  the  accented  syllablos,  and  are  counted  in  tlie 
length  of  the  lino.  A  double-syllabled  foot  becomes  apparent, 
whicli  finally  becomes  j)revailingly  iambic.  At  the  same  time 
end-rliyme  begins  to  take  the  place  of  alliteration.  —  The  length 
of  the  line  is  modified.  The  Saxon  long-line  is  affected  in  two 
Avays.  Under  the  influence  of  the  French  "  Riming  Couplet" 
of  eight  syllables,  it  becomes  formed  into  couplets,  bound  to- 
gether by  rhyme.  Under  the  influence  of  the  Alexandrine,  its 
two  accents  in  each  half-line  increase  to  three,  and  the  lines  of 
six  accents,  thus  formed,  are  bound  by  rhyme  into  couplets. — 
Thus  both  short  couplets  and  long  couplets  find  a  place  in  our 
metres.  Beside  these,  a  new  form  from  the  Latin  is  introduced, 
named  the  Septenary.  It  consisted  of  a  half-liue  of  four  ac- 
cents, followed  by  another  half-line  of  throe  acconts.  Thus, 
with  an  equal  number  of  unaccented  syllables,  a  line  of  four- 
teen syllables  was  produced.  Tliis  Septenary  was  at  first  a 
church  hymn  metro,  in  the  Latin  of  the  Middle  Ages.  Intro- 
duced into  English,  either  at  full  length,  or  in  half-lines,  it 
became  the  popular  metre  of  our  ballad  poetry,  which  was  pro- 
duced in  groat  abiindance  in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies. A  combination  of  the  Alexandrine  of  twelve  syllaldos, 
and  the  Septenary  of  fourteen  —  used  alternately  —  was  after- 
wards called  P<mlters'  Measure  ;  so  oallod  from  the  |H)ult<'rers, 
who  gave  twelve  for  tiie  first  do/en,  and  fourteen  for  the 
second.  AVith  Cliaucer,  as  the  closing  representative  of  this 
transition  jM^iod,  we  find  two  forms  finally  adopted  as  favor- 
ites. One  is  the  four-a(!('ont  verse,  or  French  "  riming  couplet;" 
the  other  is  a  comparatively  new  form,  intermediate  between 
this  and  the  long  seven  accented  Septenary  from  the  Latin. 
This  new  form  (!onsists  of  five  accents,  and  as  the  iambus  had 
now  become  settled  as  the  prevalent  English  rhythm,  we  have 
the  lamlne  I'l'iifmncfcr,  destined  to  become  the  distifKjuUking 
metre  of  Eurjlish  jmetry. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        81 

4.  The  third,  or  Modern  period,  extends  from  Chaucer  to  the 
present  time.  It  was  characterized  very  early  by  the  predomi- 
nance of  iambic  rhythm,  especially  the  pentameter.  In  its 
earliest  use  it  was  accompanied  by  rhyme,  and  lias  been  fre- 
quently employed  in  this  form  till  the  present  day,  notably  by 
Pope.  The  Earl  of  Surrey  is  the  first  known  representative 
of  its  use  without  rhyme,  in  his  translation  of  the  Second  and 
Fourth  Books  of  Virgil's  ^Eneid.  In  this  form  it  is  known  as 
heroic  blank  verse,  and  has  become  the  acknowledged  English 
metre  for  epic  and  dramatic  poetry.  —  For  lyric  poetry  there 
has  arisen  tlie  widest  variety  of  forms  in  rhythm,  in  length  of 
line,  in  the  structure  of  the  stanza.  As  to  the  predominant 
rhythm,  we  have  the  judgment  of  Swinburne,  that,  "  to  Englisli 
all  variations  and  combinations  of  anapaestic,  iambic,  and 
trochaic  metre  are  as  natural  and  pliable  as  all  dactylic  and 
spondaic  forms  of  verse  are  unnatural  and  abhorrent."  —  As 
to  length  of  line,  any  number  of  accents  has  been  employed, 
from  two  to  eight.  Although  eight-accent  lines  have  been 
used  by  some  of  our  best  poets  in  a  few  of  their  poems,  the  pre- 
vailing metres  are  the  pentameter  and  tetrameter,  with  occa- 
sionally the  trimeter. — The  stanza,  originating  with  the  use 
of  end-rhyme,  and  producing  first  the  couplet,  has  developed 
into  a  large  variety  of  forms,  as  regards  the  number  of  lines 
and  their  arrangement.  —  Increased  attention  has  been  given 
in  recent  times  to  the  quantity  and  quality  of  the  vocal  ele- 
ments, in  rhyme,  alliteration,  and  tone-color ;  and  our  English 
verse,  while  retaining  its  vigorous  accentual  character,  together 
with  the  regularity  and  proportion  derived  from  the  Romance 
languages,  has  developed  more  of  richness  in  tone  and  grace 
in  movement. 

A  few  examples  of  the  different  forms  are  here  given,  with 
such  fuller  treatment  of  the  iambic  pentameter  as  its  impor- 
tance demands. 


82  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

6.   The  Short  Couplet: 

A  prest  was  in  londe, 

Laweman  was  (i)  hole 

He  was  Leucais  sone 

Lef  him  beo  dribte. 

{The  Lord  be  gracious  to  ?iim.) 

—  Layamon's  Brut. 

Horn,  tbu  art  wcl  kene 
And  that  is  wcl  isene  ; 
Tlai  art  gret  and  strong, 
Fair  and  euene  loiip;. 

—  A'«n<7  Uom. 

Ich  was  in  one  suinere  dale 
In  one  sulhe  ditbeie  bale. 
(In  a  very  secret  h(jUuic.) 

—  The  Owl  and  the  Nightingale. 

In  a  croniquc  this  I  rede; 
Aboutc  a  king  as  niosle  node 
Tber  was  of  knygbtes  and  squiera 
Great  route,  and  eke  of  oflicers. 

—  Gotcer*!  Confettio  AmantU. 

For  al  niy  chambre  gan  to  ryngc, 
Through  syngyiige  of  her  armonye; 
For  instrument  nor  melodyo 
Was  no-wher  herd  yet  half  so  swctc, 
Nor  of  accorde  ne  half  so  mete. 

—  Chaucer:  The  Boke  of  the  Duchetu. 

Thus  I,  Colin  Clout, 

As  I  go  about, 

AikI  wandering  as  I  walk, 

I  hoar  tho  poojilo  talk; 

Men  say  for  silver  and  gold 

Mitres  are  bought  and  sold. 

—  John  Skelton. 

'  Shepherd. 


DEVELOPMENT  OP  ENGLISH  FORMS.        83 

It  was  near  a  thicky  shade, 
That  broad  leaves  of  beech  had  made, 
Joining  all  their  tops  so  high, 
That  scarce  Phoebus  in  could  pry. 
*  —Robert  Greene.    . 

Ilonie  they  brought  her  warrior  dead, 
yiie  nor  swooned  nor  uttered  cry. 

—  Tennyson. 

7.   The  Long  Couplet: 

(Povlter's  Measure;  alternate  Alexandrine  and  Septenary.) 

Thuse  come,  lo!  ifingelond  into  Normannes  honde; 

And  the  Normans  ue  couthe  speke  ||  the  bote  her  owe  sp^che- 

Ich  w6ne  ther  n6  be  man  in  world  contreyes  none. 
That  n^  holdeth  to  her  knnde  speche  hot  Engelonde  one. 

—  Jiobert  of  GUmcester. 
{The  Same.) 

Layd  in  my  quiet  bed,  in  study  as  I  were, 

I  saw  within  my  troubled  head,  a  heape  of  thoughtes  appeare. 

—  Surrey. 
(Septenary.) 

So  many  fires  disclosed  tlieir  beams,  made  by  the  Trojan  part 
Before  the  face  of  Ilion,  and  her  bright  turrets  showM. 
A  tliousand  courts  of  guard  kept  fires,  aud  every  guard  allow'd 
Fifty  stout  men,  by  whom  their  horse  eat  oats  and  hard  white  corn. 
And  all  did  wistfully  expect  the  silver-throniid  morn. 

—  Chapman. 
(Alexandrine.) 

The  Naiads  and  the  nymphs  extremely  overjoy'd, 
And  on  the  winding  banks  all  busily  eniploy'd. 
Upon  this  joyful  day,  some  dainty  cliaplets  twine. 

—  Ihrayton's  Polyolbion. 

(Septenary.) 

There's  not  a  joy  the  world  can  give  like  that  it  takes  away, 
When  the  glow  of  early  thought  declines  in  feeling's  dull  decay. 

—  Jiyron. 


84  ENGLISH   VEKSIFICATION. 

(Alexandrine.) 
O  trip  I  and  skip,  |  Elvire!  |    Link  arm  |  in  arm  |  with  mi' I  | 
Like  husband  ami  like  wife,  toi;elher  let  us  see 
The  lunibling-troiipe  arrayed,  the  strollers  on  their  stage, 
Drawu  up  and  under  arms,  and  ready  to  engage. 

—  Robert  Drowning. 

BALLADS     AND    LYRICS. 

8.  With  tlie  history  of  balhul  poetry,  we  are  not  here  coii- 
cenied.  Springing  originally  from  unknown  sources  in  very 
early  times,  it  took  on  instinctively  that  swinging  rhythm,  in 
which  the  voice  is  accompanied  by  the  alternate  beating  of 
the  foot.  The  accented  syllables  receive  the  chief  attention, 
witiiout  much  reference  to  the  number  or  order  of  the  unac- 
cented, in  English,  as  elsewhere,  their  origin  is  in  obscurity, 
but  after  the  art  of  printing  became  well  established,  they 
were  reproduced  in  modern  forms,  and  widi-ly  circulated  as 
broadsheets  among  the  people. 

They  are  commonly  in  iambic  rhythm,  with  linos  originally 
of  twelve  or  fourteen  syllables  — or,  more  accurately,  of  seven 
accents.  These  long  lines  are  easily  divided  by  the  ciusural 
pause,  into  two  lines,  one  of  four  and  the  other  of  three 
accents.     They  often  employ  the  refrain  or  burden  : 

God  prosper  lone:  our  noble  king,  our  lives  and  safeties  lill! 
A  woeful  hunting  once  there  did  In  Chevy  Chiisc  befall. 

—  liallait  of  Chery  Chiue. 

O  lip  and  sp:ike  an  eldorn  kin'-^ht,  sal  lit  the  king's  right  knee; 
Sir  Tutrick  Speiis  is  the  best  saih)r  tliat  (^vcr  sailed  the  sea. 

—  lUiUail  of  Sir  l\itrick  Spent. 

It  will  be  here  seen  that  forced  accents  are  characteristic  of 
tin;  ballad  metre.  So  in  the  modern  imitation  of  them  ;  as  in 
Longfellow's  "Wreck  of  the  Hesperus:" 

It  wiis  the  sclioouer  Ili'-spenis 
That  sailed  the  wintry  sea; 
And  the  skipper  had  tjlken  his  little  daughK^r, 
f      To  bear  him  c<''nip.iny. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENOLLSII  FOUMS.        85 

The  use  of  the  refrain  is  common : 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Lord  Lovel  ?  "  she  said, 
" Oh,  where  are  you  going  ?  "  said  she; 
I'm  going,  my  Lady  Nancy  Belle, 
Strange  countries  for  to  see,  to  see. 
Strange  countries  for  to  see. 

9.  The  Refrain,  as  is  here  seen,  consists  of  one  or  more 
words,  or  lines,  repeated  at  the  end  of  each  stanza.  It  is 
especially  appropriate  to  lyric  verse.  It  is  in  the  nature  of  a 
chorus,  or  response  by  the  hearers,  to  the  song  of  the  leader ; 
as  in  "Auld  Lang  Syne."  It  is  also  employed  in  poems  of 
a  different  character ;  as  in  Mrs.  Browning's  "  Eliyme  of  the 
Duchess  May,"  ^'Toll  sloivli/ ;''  and  in  Poe's  "Haven,"  '■'■Never- 
moreJ' 

10.  Of  a  similar  character  to  the  ballad  are  following : 

A  cliieftain  to  the  Higlilands  bound 

Cries,  Boatman,  do  not  tarry! 
And  I'll  give  thee  a  silver  pound 

To  row  us  o'er  the  ferry. 

—  Campbell:  Lord  Uliin's  DauyhUr. 

Lars  Porsena  of  Clusiuni, 

By  the  nine  gods  he  swore, 
That  the  great  house  of  Tarquin 

Should  suffer  wrong  no  more. 

—  Macauhiy  :  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome. 

11.  Of  the  great  variety  of  lyric  forms,  it  will  be  possible 
to  mention  only  a  few  of  the  most  prominent  types : 

a.  Iambic  tetrameter  : 

The  Passionate  Sliephenl. — Marlov:c.  In  Mcmoriam.  —  Tcnni/snn. 
II  Penseroso. — Milton.  His  L' Allegro  varies  from  iambic  to  trochaic 
rhythm. 

b.  Trochaic  trimeter,  with  added  syllable : 

Home  they  brought  her  warrior  dead.  —  Timiu/snn.  Take,  oh  take 
those  lips  away.  —  IShakespeare.     Iluin  seize  thee,  ruthless  king.  —  Gniy. 


86  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

c.  Trochaic  tetrameter : 
Hiawatha.  —  Longfellow. 

d.  Anaptestic  tetrameter ;  also  with  added  syllable ;  espe- 
cially with  iambus  substituted  for  the  first  anapaest : 

Locliiel's  Warning. — Cumphell.  The  Old  Oaken  Ducket. —  }\'oo(hcnrtfi. 
Three  Fishers.  — Kinyslcy.     The  Destruction  of  ISenuacherib.  —  liyrun. 

e.  Dactylic  dimeter ;  with  modificatious  : 

Uattic  of  Agincourt.  —  Drayton.  Skeleton  in  Armor. — Longfellow. 
Cliarge  of  the  Light  Drigade.  —  Tennyson. 

lAMKIC    PENTAMETER. 

12.  We  have  seen  that  from  the  time  of  Chaucer  downward 
the  iambic  pentameter  has  become  established  as  the  charac- 
teristic form  of  English  verse.  In  Chaucer,  and  in  many 
poets  since,  it  was  used  with  rhyme.  In  Surrey,  we  find  its 
first  use  without  rhyme,  and  in  that  form  it  has  received  the 
name  of  "  English  heroic  blank  verse." 

13.  Its  prevalence  is  undoubtedly  due  to  tlie  fact  that  in 
rliythm  it  is  suited  for  all  serious  subjects,  and  that  in  metro 
it  falls  into  a  hai)py  medium  between  the  short-breathed  and 
long-breathed  length  of  line.  "  The  tetrameter  and  pentameter, 
which  require  the  full  breath,  but  do  not  exhaust  it,  consti- 
tute the  entire  body  of  the  cliief  poetry  of  energetic  nations  ; 
the  hexameter,  which  fully  exhausts  tlie  breath,  is  only  used 
by  nations  whose  pleasure  was  in  repose."  —  Huskin.  "  It 
was  almost  inevitabh;  that  the  line  of  five  stresses,  not  so  long 
as  to  be  necessarily  broken  up  into  two  lines,  and  yet  not  too 
short  to  atlmit  of  serious  and  weighty  matter  being  expressed 
in  it;  a  line,  too,  of  an  uticren  number  of  stresses,  so  that  the 
position  of  the  divitliiig  break  was  ea.sily  variable;  should  be 
that  in  which  tlie  fetters  of  rhyme  sliould  be  thrown  aside, 
and  the  whole  trust  ph'uu'd,  not  on  the  metre  as  defined  by 
rule,  but  on  the  variations  of  pause  and  quantity."  —  IJodyson. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.       87 

14.  First,  then,  what  is  the  "  metre  as  defined  by  rule  "  ? 
Strictly,  five  iambuses,  neither  more  nor  less.     Thus  : 

For  mau  |  to  tell  |  how  hu  |  man  life  |  began.  | 

—  Milton, 

Here  the  accent  -would  fall  on  every  alternate  syllable.  In 
keeping  the  flow  of  it  in  the  mind,  it  is  convenient  to  think 
of  it  as  composed  of  two  sections  and  a  half,  —  each  section  of 
four  syllables.  We  then  see  that  eight  syllables  would  not 
satisfy  the  requirement,  and  twelve  syllables  would  be 
redundant. 

15.  But  this  metre  would  never  have  gained  the  ascendency 
it  has,  if  the  strict  rule  had  been  invariably  followed.  "  The 
normal  line  is  too  monotonous  and  formal  for  frequent  use." 

—  Abbott.  "  Johnson  was  wrong  in  condemning  deviation  from 
the  ideal  structure  as  inharmonious.  It  is  precisely  such  devi- 
ation that  constitutes  the  beauty  of  blank  verse."  —  Si/monds. 

All  the  substitutions  noticed  in  the  chapter  on  Variety  in 
Rhythm  may  be  employed,  and  all  the  changes  in  ca3sural 
pause.  <' Practically,  many  of  the  groups  (feet)  are  allowed 
to  consist  of  three  syllables,  two  of  them  being  unaccented. 
The  number  of  sj'llables  may  therefore  be  greater  than  ten, 
while  the  accents  may  be,  and  generally  are,  less  than  five."  — 
A.  J.  Ellis.  "What  combinations  of  the  dissyllabic  groups 
(feet)  can  produce  a  blank  verse  which  is  good  to  the  ear,  is 
not  a  matter  for  arithmetical  computation,  but  for  experience." 

—  Masson.  "Milton,  who  first  taught  us  what  this  kind  of 
verse  ought  to  be,  is  careful  to  vary  the  movement  by  an 
occasional  inversion  of  the  iambic  accentuation  in  each  of  the 
five  places."  —  Patmore.  "The  writer  in  tliis  kind  of  metre, 
in  order  that  he  may  be  musical,  must  exhibit  all  the  varia- 
tions, as  he  proceeds,  of  which  ten  syllables  are  susceptible. 
Between  the  first  and  the  last,  there  is  no  place  at  which  he 


88  ENGLISH   VKKSIFK'ATION. 

must  not  occasionally  pause,  and  the  place  of  the  pause  must 
be  continually  shiitoil." — Cowper.  "It  is  the  easiest  of  all 
conceivable  metres  to  write ;  it  is  the  hardest  to  write  well." 
—  Hodgson.  "No  poet  ought  to  think  of  beginning  his  career 
with  blank  verse.  It  has  little  or  no  rhythm  of  its  own,  and 
therefore  the  poet  has  to  create  the  rhythm  as  ho  writes."  — 
Patmorc. 

16.  In  general,  it  may  be  said,  that  the  chief  care  to  be 
taken,  is,  that  the  substitution  of  otlier  feet  than  the  iambus 
should  not  be  such  or  so  f  re<pient  as  to  destroy  the  iambic  char- 
acter of  the  rhythm ;  and  that  the  number  of  accents  should 
not  exceed  five.  It  is  true,  that,  in  Shakespeare,  what  is  con- 
sidered as  an  Alexandrine  (six  accents)  is  occasionally  found, 
but  this  can  hardly  be  regarded  as  coming  within  the  scope  of 
this  rule. 

17.  To  ai)i)ly  those  principles  somewhat  in  detail,  we  may 
ncjtice  the  following: 

a.  Owing  to  the  large  number  of  particles  in  English,  the 
foot  most  commonly  substituted  for  the  iambus  is  the  pyrrhic : 

Brought  iloath  |  Into  |  tlie  \V('prI>!  |  and  all  |  oiir  wno.  j 

—  Milton. 

There  are  ten  i)yrrlui;s  in  tlif  first  sixteen  lines  of  "  Taradiso 
Lost." 

Tlie  pyrrhic  may  occur  at  any  place  in  the  line ;  but  rarely 
do  wc  find  two  pyrrhics  in  immediate  succession,  as : 

Burncil  af  |  lOr  thrin  |  to  Uu"  |  butlOin  |  K"s.s  pit.  | 

—  Mlllim. 
liarcly,  also,  at  the  end  of  the  line: 

These  c6uch  |  Iiig.s  ftiul  |  these  low  |  ly  coiir  |  ifsTcs.  | 

—  Shiikftpeare. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        89 

Even  here,  there  may  be  said  to  be  a  secondary  accent  on 
the  last  syllable.  Indeed,  this  secondary  accent  on  the  final 
syllable  of  a  trisyllable  is  regularly  recognized  in  iambic 
verse. 

b.  Occasionally  a  spondee  may  take  the  place  of  the  iambus. 
There  are  few,  if  any,  natural  spondees  in  English,  but  two 
emphatic  syllables  may  come  together  and  produce  a  foot  with 
two  accents : 

Koll  pu,  I  tliou  deep  |  and  dark  |  blue  5  |  cean,  roll.  | 

—  Byron. 

Say,  Miise,  |  their  names,  |  then  known,  |  who  first,  |  who  liist.  | 

—  Milton. 

6u  those  I  long  rank  |  dark  wood  |  walks  drench'd  |  in  dew.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

c.  Even  the  trochee,  which  is  the  reverse  of  the  iambus, 
may  take  its  place.  This  occurs  oftenest  after  a  pause ;  as  at 
the  beginning  of  a  line  : 

Loud   fis  I  from  nam  |  hers  with  |  out  num  |  ber,  sweet.  | 

—  Milton:  Paradise  Lost,  III.  3iC>. 

Or  after  the  csesural  pause  : 

Feed,  and  ]  regard  |  him  not.  |    Are  y5u  |  a  man  ?  | 

—  Shakespeare:  Macbeth,  III.  4,  58. 

It  may  be  in  the  second  foot : 

The  eye  |  wink  at  |  the  hand,  |  yet  let  |  that  be.  | 

—  Macbeth,  I.  4,  62. 

Or  in  the  third: 

And  yet  |  dark  night  |  strangles  |  the  trav'  |  ling  lamp. 

—  Macbeth,  11.4,7. 

Or  the  fourth  : 

The  cloud  |  y  mess  |  enger  |  turns  mC  |  his  back.  | 

—  Macbeth,  III.  0,41. 


90  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Instances  have  been  offered  of  the  occurrence  of  a  trochee 
in  the  fifth  foot,  but  I  have  seen  none  such  in  which  the 
accentuation  was  so  clear  as  to  be  beyond  controversy. 

Very  seldom  two  trochees  may  bo  found  together ;  as,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  line  : 

rrusfint  I  thvis  10  |  his  Son,  |  audi  |  bly  spoke.  | 

—  miton. 

Felt  the  I  h'ght  Of  |  licr  eyes  |  into  |  his  life.  | 

—  Tinnyson. 

NoW^d  I  down  In  |  the  book,  |  there;  turn  |  and  see.  | 

—  llrowning. 

A  peculiar  effect  is  produced  by  the  succession  trochee- 
iambus  (choriambus),  twice  in  the  first  four  feet  of  the  line : 

OvCr  I  thj-  wounds  |  now  do  |  I  proph  |  esy.  | 

—  Shakespeare. 

Others  I  ttpdrt  |  siit  On  |  ;1  hill,  |  retired.  | 

—  Milton. 

R<5adj'  I  to  spring,  |  wjutlng  |  ft  chiince  |  for  this.  | 

—  Tcntii/son:  Guinet'cre. 

N<'>t  to  I  tc'll  h('r,  I  nt'ver  \  to  Irl  |  her  know.  | 

—  7'(  niit/Bim  :  Enoch  Ardcn. 

It  will  bo  seen  that  this  divides  the  lino  into  the  two  aiul  a 
half  sections,  of  which  we  have  before  spoken. 

A  pleasing  combination  is  that  of  a  trochee  followed  by  a 
spondee,  as : 

Fdd  the  I  sjime  fl6ck,  |  by  foun  |  t.iin,  shade,  |  and  rill.  | 

—  Milton. 

Spreads  his  |  light  wings  |  and  in  |  a  nio  |  nient  (lies.  | 

—  J 'ope. 

d.  An  anapajst  occasionally  gives  variety  to  the  rhythm. 
Some  authorities  would  advocate  slurring  or  omitting  one  of 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        91 

the  syllables  in  such  a  case ;  but  the  more  graceful  way  is  to 
use  every  syllable,  only  speaking  them  "trippingly  on  the 
tongue : " 

Sweet  Ilel  |  en,  make  |  md  Iinmor  |  tal  with  |  a  kiss.  | 

—  Marlowe. 

The  sound  |  of  man  |  f  a  hdav  |  Ily  gal  |  lOpTng  hoof.  | 

—  Tennyson. 

Here,  it  will  be  noticed,  are  three  anapaests  in  succession, 
to  express  rapidity  of  motion. 

e.  A  dactyl  is  scarcely  allowable,  but  is  sometimes  ad- 
mitted : 

Edward  |  with  fire  |  and  sword  |  follows  ilt  |  thy  heels.  | 

—  Marlowe. 

P^ttililnt  I  she  spoke,  and  at  herself  she  laughed. 

—  Tennyson. 

f.  In  some  instances,  the  introduction  of  feet  which  would 
be  otherwise  allowable,  produces  a  combination  which  is  objec- 
tionable, on  account  of  breaking  up  the  iambic  rhythm  : 

And  plen  |  ty  Of  |  grisly  |  pictiires  |  Of  death.  | 

—  Surrey. 

Here  the  tendency  is  towards  a  dactylic  rhythm : 
I  plenty  Of  |  grisly  |  pictQres  Of  | 

So,  also,.the  following  : 

Light  frOm  |  above  |  frOm  thC  |  fountain  |  Of  life.  | 

—  MUton. 

Which  becomes  equal  to  : 

Light  frOm  a  |  bove  frOm  the  |  fountain  Of  |  life. 

ff.  Besides  the  occurrence  of  extra  syllables  in  anapsests 
and  dactyls,  others  may  come  in  as  supernumeraries  at  the 
end,  or  in  the  middle  of  the  line. 


92  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

Tims,  in  the  miildle  : 

Age  is  I  unnec  |  essa  |  rj";  On  |  inj'  knees  |  I  beg.  | 

—  King  Uar,  11.  4,  157. 

Or  at  the  end  : 

'Tis  nol  I  alone  |  my  ink  [  y  cloak,  |  good  moth  |  Pr. 

—  Ifaml,t,  I.i;,  77. 

I  dare  |  avoueli  |  it,  sir;  |  what,  fif  |  ty  fol  |  lOwCrs  ? 

—  Kinij  Lear:  II.  -I,  2-10. 

These  unaccented  syllables  at  the  end  are  called  feminine 
endings.     These  seldom  constitute  a  word  by  themselves : 

By  that  |  sin  fell  |  the  an  |  gels;  how  |  can  man,  |  then. 

-Henri!  iHL,  111.2,441. 

h.  Even  normal  lines  may  have  light,  or  weak  endings. 
Lifjht  eiidhujs  are  personal  and  relative  pronouns,  auxiliaries, 
etc.,  allowing  a  slight  ]>ause  after  tliom.  IJ'enk  endings 
are  prepositions  and  conjunctions,  allowing  no  pause  after 
them. 

i.  Lines  in  wliich  the  sense  is  complete  at  the  end,  with  a 
full  pause,  are  called  end-stopped  lines;  those  in  wliitdi  the 
sense  is  carried  on  to  the  succeeding  lines,  without  i)ause,  are 
called  run-nn  lines. 

j.  The  i)laee  of  the  ca'sural  jiauso  in  iambic  pentameter  is 
not  fixed.  It  probably  occurs  oftenest  after  the  fourth  or  the 
sixth  syllable.  The  usage  differs  somewhat  with  the  different 
jioets.  liut  in  the  best  jwetry  it  takes  a  wide  range  from  the 
iirst  syllable  to  the  ninth.  "Though  it  is  impossible  to  lay 
down  any  rule  regulating  the  pauses,  yet  it  is  j)robably  true 
that  the  pause  after  the  fourth  syllable,  which  is  iambic,  is 
better  fitted  for  didactic  and  severe  epigram;  while  that  after 
the  fifth,  whicii  gives  a  trochaic  effect,  is  adajited  for  descrip- 
tion, and  the  expression  of  sentiment,  or  for  less  serious 
ej)igram."  —  English  Lessons  for  English  J'cojde. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        93 

18.  We  give  below  a  few  quotations,  indicating  the  names 
of  the  earliest  authors  representing  iambic  pentameter: 

I  have  mot  with  no  spocimen  of  this  metre  among  our  English 
rhythms,  before  the  fourteenth  century. 

—  Guest's  Uistory  of  English  Rhythms,  p.  524. 

The  metre  of  five  accefits,  lolth  couplet  rime,  may  have  jjot  its 
earliest   name  of   "riding   rime"    from   the   mounted   pilgrims   of   the 

Canterbury  Tales. 

—  Idem,  p.  52G. 

The  unrimed  metre  of  five  accents,  or  as  it  is  generally  termed,  blank 
verse,  we  certainly  owe  to  Surrey.  ...  I  have  seen  no  specimen  of  any 
definite  nnriined  metre  of  five  accents,   which  can  date  earlier  than 

Surrey's  translation  of  the  fourth  iEneid. 

—  Idem,]).  527. 

Marlowe  brought  the  English  unrliymod  pentameter  to  a  perfection  of 
melody,  harmony,  and  variety,  which  has  never  been  surpassed. 

—  Lowell:  Among  My  Books,  p.  157. 

Adding  to  these  the  names  of  Sliakospeare  and  INIilton,  as 
the  highest  representatives  of  this  form  of  verse,  previous  to 
the  modern  poets,  we  will  present  a  few  of  the  characteristics 
of  each. 

CHAUCER. 

19.  Nearly  all  the  "Canterbury  Tales,"  and  the  "Legend  of 
Good  Women,"  are  written  in  iambic  pentameter,  with  couplet 
rhymes.  But  by  reason  of  a  frequent  unaccented  syllable  at 
the  end,  the  lines  have  oftener  eleven  syllables  than  ten. 
Some  critics  maintain  that  a  line  may  have  only  nine  syllables, 
the  first  foot  consisting  of  an  emphatic  monosyllable.  lUit 
Fleay  says  that  the  "omission  of  the  first  syllable  is  not 
allowed  in  this  metre." 

"  Final  e,  a  relic  of  early  French  and  Saxon  endings,  usually 
makes  a  light  syllable,  when  the  next  word  begins  with  a 
consonant.  It  was  probably  sounded  obscurely,  as  in  final 
unaccented  e  in  French  poetry.     It  is  usually  silent  when  the 


Ot  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

next  word  begins  with  a  vowel,  and  before  a  few  words  begin- 
ning with  h:  as,  Ae,  his,  him,  hire,  hem,  hath,  have,  hadde, 
hoiv,  her  (Jieer).  In  most  other  cases,  it  makes  a  light  syllablo 
before  h.  It  is  also  often  sounded  when  followed  by  the 
cajsural  pause,  where  it  would  otherwise  be  silent. 

"  With  the  exception  of  the  article  the,  and  the  negative 
particle  ne,  the  e  of  monosyllables  is  commonly  not  elided. 

"  The  great  majority  of  words  from  the  Norman  are  accented 
ou  the  last  syllable  ;  as,  liconr,  vertue,  nature,  cordye.  Many, 
however,  are  variable,  being  accented  sometimes  on  the  ulti- 
mate and  sometimes  on  the  penult."  —  Corson :  Iland-book  of 
Anglo-Saxon  and  Early  Enylish. 

The  following  example  is  from  the  Prologue  to  the  "Canter- 
bury Tales :  " 

Wluin  that  I  April  |  li^  with  |  his  schow  |  rf's  swoote  | 
Tlic  drought  |  of  Marche  |  halli  per  |  ced  to  |  the  rootc,  | 
And  ha  |  tlicd  ev  |  ery  veyne  |  in  swich  |  licdur,  | 
Of  which  I  vertiio  |  engen  |  droil  is  |  the  Hour;  | 
Whan  Zcph  |  irus  |  eok  with  |  his  swe  |  to  Ineelhc  | 
Enspi  I  red  liath  |  in  ev  |  ery  hohe  |  and  liecthe  | 
The  ten  |  dre  crop  |  pes,  and  |  tlie  yon  |  gc  sonnc  | 
Hath  in  |  tlic  llum  \  liis  half  |  c  coins  i-  |  ronnc  | 
And  snial  |  c  fowl  |  es  nia  |  ken  niul  |  odie  | 
TIjat  slep  I  en  all  |  the  niglit  |  with  o  |  pen  eye  | 
So  prik  I  eth  hem  |  nature  |  in  here  |  ooniges;  | 
Than  long  |  en  folk  |  to  gon  |  on  pil  |  grinuiges,  | 
And  pal  |  niera  for  |  to  seek  |  en  straun  |  ge  strondes,  | 
To  fer  I  ne  hoi  |  wes,  kouihe  )  in  son  |  dry  loiules;  | 
And  spe  |  cially  |  from  ev  |  ery  schir  |  es  emle  | 
Of  En  I  gelond,  |  to  Caun  |  ttrbury  |  ihey  wonde.  | 

8  U  K  It  K  Y  . 

20.  To  Surrey,  as  wo  liavc  seen,  is  assigned  the  honor  of 
first  having  used  the  iambic  pentameter  without  rhyme.  Ho 
also  has  the  praise  of  being  the  first  wiio  introduced  the  somn't 
into  our  language,  and  he  wrote  besides  iu  a  variety  of 
measures. 


DEVELOPMENT   OF  ENGLISH   FOllMS.  95 

He  used  the  heroic  blank  verse  in  a  translation  of  the 
Fourth  Book  of  the  iEneid.  There  are  differences  of  opin- 
ion as  to  the  merit  of  his  style.  Warton  questioned  whether, 
in  the  qualities  of  being  smooth  and  musical,  our  versification 
had  advanced  since  Surrey  tuned  it  for  the  first  time.  In  the 
edition  of  Mr.  Bell,  while  Surrey  is  praised  for  skilful  variety 
in  the  use  of  iambus  and  trochee,  it  is  said  that  "  crudenesses 
of  sundry  kinds  are  by  no  means  infrequent."  Mr.  Symonds, 
on  the  other  hand,  says  that  Surrey  is  vevy  averse  "  to  any 
departure  from  iambic  regularity." 

Prof.  Mayor  has  made  a  somewhat  careful  analysis  of 
Surrey's  blank  verse,  from  which  we  select  the  following 
examples  of  usage,  which  seem  to  indicate  a  primitive  *'  crude- 
ness  "  not  prevalent  in  later  writers. 

a.  Two  trochees  in  succession : 

The  old  I  temple  |  dedl  |  cate  to  |  Ceres.  | 

Shall  I  I  wait  or  |  board  them  |  with  my  |  power.  | 

Wherewith  |  Piinthus  |  scaped  from  |  the  Greek  |  ish  darts.  | 

b.  Trochee  in  fourth  place  : 

In  the  I  dark  hulk  |  they  closed  |  bodies  1  of  men.  | 
With  blood  I  likewise  |  ye  must  |  seek  your  |  return.  | 
Toward  |  the  tower  |  our  hearts  |  brent  with  |  desire.  | 
We  went  |  and  gave  |  many  |  onsets  |  that  niglit.  | 

c.  Trochee  in  fifth  place  : 

Esca  I  ped  from  |  the  slaugh  |  ter  of  |  Pyrrhus.  | 
Worship  I  was  done  |  to  Co  |  res  the  |  goddess.  | 
With  wail  |  ing  great  |  and  worn  |  en's  shrill  |  yelling.  | 
By  the  |  divine  |  science  |  of  Mi  |  nerva.  | 

d.  Harshness  of  csesural  pause  : 

Without  I  sound,  II  hung  I  vainly  |  in  the  |  shield's  boss. 
Command  |  cd  I  |  reave  II  and  |  thy  spirit  |  unloose.  | 
An  old  I  laurel  |  tree  I!  bow  |  ing  tliere  |  unto,  i 


9G  ENGLISH    VEIiSlFICATION. 

The  following  passage  is  a  favorable  example  of  his  ordinary 
metre : 

Sweet  spoils,  wliiles  God  and  destinies  it  would, 
Receive  this  sprite  and  rid  me  of  these  cares: 
I  lived  and  ran  the  course  fortune  did  grant; 
And  under  earth  my  great  ghost  now  shall  wend: 
A  goodly  town  I  built,  and  saw  my  walls; 
Happy,  alas,  too  happy,  if  these  coasts 
The  Troyan  ships  had  never  touched  aye. 

M  A  It  I.  O  W  E . 

21.  AVe  have  already  seen  Lowell's  tribute  to  the  perfec- 
tion of  ^larlowe's  verse.  lie  wrote  the  "  first  j^lai/  in  blank 
verse  which  w'as  publicly  acted,  and  fixed  the  metre  of  his 
drama  forever  as  tlie  metre  of  English  tragedy."  His  influence 
wiis  felt  by  Shakespeare,  who  quoted  a  line  from  his  "Hero 
and  Leander,"  *  and  of  whom  it  has  been  said  that  he  "  never 
reached  in  his  own  narrative  verse  a  music  so  spontaneous 
and  rich,  —  a  music  to  which  Marlowe  miglit  have  applied  liis 
own  words : 

That  calls  my  soul  from  forth  his  living  scat 

To  move  unto  llie  measures  of  delight." 

Prof.  Mayor  tells  us  that  the  ihytlim  of  Marlowe  is  very 
different  from  that  of  Surrey.  "It  is  much  more  regular  of 
accentuation."  Nevertheless,  he  gives  us  many  examples 
of  nine  syllables  in  a  line,  —  the  first  foot  being  a  monosylla- 
ble,—  and  of  halting  rliythm  in  otiier  respects,  lint  it  is  not 
by  such  criticism  in  detail  that  ISlarlowe  is  to  bo  judged. 
There  is  an  unmistakable  passionate  loftiness  of  style  whicli 
gives  vivacity  and  energy  to  his  verse,  well  expressed  in  Urn 
Jonson's  j)hrase  of  "  Marlowe's  mighty  line." 

>  I)e:ul  shepherd,  now  I  find  tliy  Hiiw  of  mlKht: 
"  Will*  ever  l<)Ved  that  lovrd  not  at  (irst  sifjht?  " 

—  As  You  Like  //.III   5. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        97 

The  following  extracts  will  convey  some  impression  of  it : 

Give  me  a  look  that  when  I  bend  tlic  brows, 

Pale  Death  may  walk  in  furrows  of  my  face; 

A  hand  that  with  a  grasp  may  gripe  the  world; 

An  ear  to  hear  what  my  detractors  say; 

A  royal  seat,  a  sceptre  and  a  crown ; 

That  those  that  do  behold  them  may  become     . 

As  men  that  stand  and  gaze  against  the  sun. 

—  Miissacre  at  Paris. 
If  all  the  pens  that  ever  poets  held 
Had  fed  the  feeling  of  their  master's  thoughts, 
And  every  sweetness  that  inspired  their  hearts, 
Their  minds  and  muses  on  admired  themes. 

If  these  had  made  one  poem's  period, 
And  all  combined  in  beauty's  worthiness, 
Yet  should  there  hover  in  their  restless  heads 
One  thought,  one  grace,  one  wonder,  at  the  least. 
Which  into  words  no  virtue  can  digest, 

—  First  Part  of  Tamburlainc,  V.  2. 

SHAKESPEARE. 

22.  The  great  body  of  Shakespeare's  plays  is  written  in 
unrhymed  iambic  pentameter.  It  is  evident  in  the  reading 
of  any  long-sustained  passage  in  the  mouth  of  one  of  his 
speakers,  that  the  rhythmic  sense  of  the  author,  and  his  com- 
mand of  the  metre,  is  in  no  respect  inferior  to  his  powers  of 
expression  in  general.  But  the  nature  of  dramatic  poetry, 
the  interruptions  of  conversation,  the  changes  of  action,  and 
of  emotion,  and  the  dominance  of  passion,  give  rise  to  so  many 
kinds  of  license,  that  the  student  of  his  metre  needs  some 
principles  to  guide  him  in  the  interpretation  of  his  verse. 

23.  In  the  first  place,  we  need  to  know  if  Shakespeare  con- 
fines himself  strictly  to  five  measures  in  the  line.  The  excep- 
tions are  as  follows : 

a.  He  introduces  occasionally  lyric  measures.  —  iambic  di- 
meter and  iambic  and  trochaic  tetrameter;  as  in  the  "Ti-m- 


98  ENGLISH  VEIISIFICATIOX. 

post,"  "  Midsummer  Night's  Dream,"  "  As  You  Like  It,"  and 
"  Macbeth." 

b.  Besides  these,  in  the  regular  body  of  tlie  play,  short  lines 
of  two  or  three  iambuses  occur,  soiuotimos  as  brief  sentences 
in  rapid  dialogue,  sometimes  at  the  beginning  or  end  of 
speeches. 

c.  As  to  lines  of  only  four  iambuses,  there  seems  to  bo 
dilTerence  of  opinion.  Dr.  Abbott'  says  that  "lines  with 
four  accents  are  very  rare."  Fleay  ^  asserts  that "  where  there 
is  an  appearance  of  a  four-foot  line,  it  is  either  made  up  of 
two  shorter  lines  (.'i  +  1,  or  2+2),  or  is  corrupt." 

This  does  not  deny  the  fact  of  rhymed  lines  of  four  feet. 

d.  The  existence  of  occasional  six-foot  lines  is  generally 
admitted.  In  some  cases  these  are  composed  of  trimeter  coup- 
lets ;  that  is,  with  the  pause  after  the  third  foot ;  in  others, 
they  are  true  Alexandrines,  with  pauses  after  the  second, 
seventh,  eighth,  or  tenth  syllable. 

e.  It  is  quite  in  accordance  with  the  rules  of  heroic  blank 
verse,  that  there  should  be  one  or  even  two  extra  syllables 
(unaccented)  at  the  end  of  a  line ;  these  are  called  feminine 
endings. 

/.  iSuch  extra  syllables  may  also  occur  in  the  middle  of  a 
line,  before  the  caesural  pause. 

24.  The  next  consideration  is  as  to  the  character  of  the 
rhytlun.  It  is,  of  course,  in  large  proportion,  iambic,  with 
the  occurrence  of  trochees,  pyrrhics,  spondees,  as  we  have 
el.sewhere  noted,  and  frequent  use  of  the  anapiest. 

liesides  these,  we  have  to  observe  the  customary  elisions 

•  Abbott's  Sliakcsjioanan  Omnunnr. 

'  ShakoHjieuro  Manual,  by  F.  G.  Flcay,  A.M.  Lnmloii,  .Maciiiillaii  &  Co. 
1878. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.        99 

and  slurrings,  as  in  other  writers,  and,  more  than  this,  the 
fact  of  many  contractions  and  expansions  which  are  peculiar 
to  the  author  or  his  times. 

a.  The  common  elisions  :  tK  for  the  ;  V  tK  for  in  the  ;  o'  th' 
for  of  the  ;  's,  for  is,  us,  or  his  ;  Hd  for  would  ;  'dst  for  hadst; 
and  many  others,  /t'  were  for  he  were  ;  etc.  Final  er,  el,  and 
le  dropped  before  vowel  or  silent  h. 

h.  Dropping  of  prefixes :  'hove  for  above  ;  ''come  for  become  ; 
^count  for  account ;  ^larum  for  alarum;  ^stonished  for  aston- 
ished ;  U7i'slsting  for  unresisting. 

c.  Slurri7ig  or  contraction :  This  occurs  usually  in  the  case 
of  unaccented  vowels,  between  consonants  that  easily  coalesce ; 
or,  in  a  few  cases  of  consonants,  that  may  be  omitted  without 
destroying  the  character  of  a  word.  It  always  lies  with  the 
taste  of  the  reader  whether  to  omit  such  syllables  altogether, 
or  to  give  them  a  rapid  enunciation  like  grace  notes  in  music. 

Thus,  vowels  near  liquids:  corpi'ral  for  corporal;  confid- 
ence for  confierence  ;  icarr^nt  for  ivarrant ;  perilous  iov perilous  ; 
marH  for  marvel;  easHij  for  easily  (see  deVcate  for  delicate, 
in  Tennyson.);  en' my  iov  enemy;  messengers  for  messengers; 
innocent  for  innocent ;  xinnat^ral  for  tinnatural ;  iiiter^ gatories 
for  interrogatories.  The  word  sp)irlt  may  be  pronounced  spirit, 
or  sprite. 

A  light  vowel  following  a  heavy  vowel  in  the  same  word  is 
sometimes  obscured  :  j^oiv^r,  be^?ig,  know^ing,  proiv^ss. 

Plural  and  possessive  endings  are  frequently  dropped  when 
the  singular  ends  in  s,  se,  ss,  ce,  or  ge. 

The  e  in  ed  oi  past  tenses  is  sometimes  sounded  and  some- 
times omitted,  even  in  the  same  line : 

Hence  ban  |  ished  |  is  biiu  |  ish'd  from  |  the  world.  | 

—  Romeo  and  Juliet,  III.  3, 19. 

Despis'd,  |  distress  |  ed,  La  |  ted,  nuir  |  tyr'd,  kill'd. 

—  /(fern,  IV.  6,59. 


100  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Consonants  are  sometimes  omitted ;  as  th  in  the  middle  of  a 
word ;  whe'r  for  ichether,  etc. 

d.  Expaiisions :  which  increase  the  number  of  syllables  in 
a  word. 

Liquids,  and  especially  r,  in  dissyllables,  arc  frequently 
pronounced  as  though  an  extra  syllable  were  introduced 
between  them  and  the  preceding  consonant : 

The  parts  |  and  gra  |  ccs  of  |  llie  wrest  |  (c)ler. 

—  As  You  Like  It,  II.  2,  13. 

If  you  will  tarry,  holy  pilg(e)rim. 

—  All's  nell  that  Ends  Well,  III.  r,,  3fl. 

Monosyllables  containing  a  long  vowel  and  ending  in  an  r 
sound,  are  often  pronounced  in  two  syllables : 

Hear,  Na  |  lure,  hi'  |  ar;  tU'  |  ar  God  |  dess,  lioar.  | 

—  King  Uar,  I.  4,  267. 

Sometimes  other  monosyllables  are  thus  divided: 

Will  you  I  be  riiled  |  by  uii3  ?  | 

A-y,  I  my  Lord.  | 

—  Ilumltt,  IV.  7,  CO. 

er  final  seems  sometimes  to  have  been  pronounced  with  a 
kind  of  "burr,"  equivalent  to  an  additional  syllable  : 
A  broth  I  er's  mur  |  der-r.  |      Pray  can  |  I  not.  | 

—  llitmUt,  III.  3,  38. 

Com.     We'll  teach  |  you. 

Ktnt.  Sir  |  -r,   I'm  |  loo  old  |  to  Icani.  | 

—  Kiny  fyear,  II.  1!,  121. 

So  Sir  becomes  Sirrah. 

■ion  is  frequently  pronounced  as  two  syllables  at  the  end  of 
a  line.  Also  tion  in  a  line,  osj)ecially  after  c.  So  also  final 
ience,  iant,  ions,  icje,  etc.  The  c  is  sometimes  sounded  in 
"  ])k'asure,"  "  gorgeous." 

e  mute  is  sometimes  pronounced  : 

E'en  at  |  the  ba-se  |  of  I'om  |  jx^y's  stat  |  u-*-.  | 

—  Jtilittii  Ciimr,  \\\.>,  V.Y1. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH   FORMS.  101 

The  noun  ache  was  pronounced  aitch.  (See  notes  to  Rolfe's 
"Tempest.") 

Fill  all  I  thy  bones  |  with  ach  |  es;  make  |  thee  roar.  | 

—  Tempest,  I.  2,  308. 

The  e  in  commandment,  entertainment,  which  was  originally 
used,  is  sometimes  retained  : 

Be  val  I  ued  'gainst  |  your  wife's  |  command  |  (e)ment. 

—  Mercluint  of  Venice,  IV.  1,  442. 

e.  Accent.  Some  words  in  Shakespeare  have  the  accent 
nearer  the  end  than  at  present.  Thus :  abject,  Eich.  III.,  I. 
1,  lOG;  access,  W.  T.,  V.  1,  87;  aspect,  A.  &  C,  I.  5,  33; 
characters.  Ham,.,  I.  3,  59 ;  commerce,  Tr.  &  Cr.,  I,  3,  105 ; 
contrary.  Ham.,  III.  2, 194 ;  compact,  J.  C,  III.  1,  215 ;  edict, 
M.  N.  D.,  I.  1,  151 ;  exile,  R.  &  J.,  V.  3,  211 ;  instinct,  2  Hen. 
IV.,  I.  1,  86;  obdurate,  M.  of  V.,  IV.  1,  8;  opportune,  T., 
IV.  1,  26;  portents,  Othello,  V.  2,  45;  sepulchre.  Rich.  II., 
I.  3,  194 ;  sinister,  Hen.  V.,  II.  4,  85. 

In  some  the  accent  is  nearer  the  beginning  than  with  us : 
compelled,  M.  for  M.,  II.  4,  57 ;  complete,  L.  L.  L.,  I.  1,  137 ; 
detestable,  K.  J.,  III.  4,  29;  distinct,  M.  of  V.,  II.  9,  61; 
enginer,  so  also  miitiners  and  pioners ;  obscure,  M.  of  V.,  II. 
7,  51 ;  Observant,  K.  L.,  IL  2,  97 ;  persever,  31.  N.  D.,  III.  2, 
236 ;  rheumatic,  M.  N.  D.,  II.  1,  105 ;  secure.  Ham.,  I.  5,  61 ; 
successors.  Hen.  VIII. ,  I.  1,  60. 

In  general,  an  adjective  or  participle  of  two  syllables  stand- 
ing before  a  noun  accented  on  the  first  syllable  throws  the 
accent  back,  when,  otherwise,  it  would  have  the  modern  accent. 
Thus,  complete  becomes  complete : 

A  maid  of  grace  and  complete  majesty. 

—  Lovers  Labour's  Lost,  I.  1,  137. 

So  in  numerous  instances  of  other  words. 
Words  in  izetl  and  ised  throw  the  accent  back : 

As  I  I  by  friends  |  am  well  |  advCir  |  tist'd.  | 

—  JliclKird  III.,  IV.  4,  497. 


102  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

The  French  accent  is  sometimes  retained;  as  in  royal, 
fortune,  pardon,  mere/.  This,  however,  is  not  so  common  as 
in  Spenser,  Surrey,  and  Chaucer, 

/.  llhyme  is  often  used  by  Shakespeare  as  an  effective 
termination  at  the  end  of  a  scene,  also  to  mark  an  aside. 
I'rose  is  sometimes  used  in  comic  scenes  and  in  letters,  where 
it  is  necessary  to  lower  the  dramatic  pitcli,  or  to  express 
frenzy,  madness,  and  higher  flights  of  the  imagination. 

25.  In  general,  the  blank  verse  of  Shakespeare  was  more 
strict  and  constrained  in  his  earlier  plays,  and  more  free  and 
untrammelled  in  the  later.  Several  indications  of  this  have 
been  used  as  tests  to  help  to  fix  the  time  at  which  the  various 
plays  were  written.  The  following  rules  are  based  upon  those 
given  in  Fleay's  Shakespeare  Manual,  before  quoted : 

a.  Tlie  difference  between  "end-stopped"  and  "run-on" 
lines.  In  "Love's  Labour's  Lost,"  his  first  genuine  play,  the 
percentage  of  run-on  lines  is  only  five  and  a  half;  in  "Win- 
ter's Tale,"  one  of  the  very  latest,  it  is  forty-seven  and  one- 
fifth. 

b.  Lines  with  feminine  endings;  that  is,  with  extra  unac- 
cented syllables  at  the  end.  These  increase  in  frequency  from 
four  per  cent  in  the  earliest  plays,  to  tliirty-one  or  thirty-two 
per  cent  in  the  latest. 

c.  Lines  with  extra  syllables  before  the  ca-sural  pause 
increase  from  none  in  the  earliest  plays,  to  nearly  four  per 
cent  in  the  latest. 

d.  The  proportion  of  light  endings  (pronouns,  auxiliaries, 
etc.),  and  of  weak  endings  (prej)()sitions,  conjunctions,  etc., 
allowing  no  pau.sc),  increa-ses  during  the  latest  plays. 

e.  Alexandrines  not  only  increase  in  frequency,  but  assume 
a  freer  form;  being  confined  at  first  to  a  middle  pause,  but 
in  the  later  plays  having  pauses  in  various  other  jdaces  in  the 
line. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  ENGLISH  FORMS.       103 

/.  The  use  of  rhyme  couplets  diminishes  gradually  from  a 
proportion  of  two  rhyme  lines  to  one  of  blank  verse,  down  to 
an  absolute  absence  of  rhyme. 

26.  Without  attempting  to  characterize  the  blank  verse  of 
authors  since  the  time  of  Shakespeare,  we  give  below  some 
tabular  results  of  an  analysis,  by  Professor  Mayor,  of  the 
metre  of  Milton,  Tennyson,  and  Browning.  Of  our  American 
poets,  we  may  remark,  that  Bryant  is  distinguished  above  all 
for  the  dignity  and  energy  of  his  style  in  this  special  form  of 
verse.  Longfellow  seldom  attempts  it,  and  with  indiiferent 
success.  Holmes  reminds  us  of  Pope  in  the  ease  of  his 
rhymed  iambic  pentameter. 

CAESUKAL    PAUSE. 

27.  The  table  shows  the  average  in  passages  of  two  hundred 
lines  each,  taken  from  the  three  poets  named. 

MH-TON.     TENNYSON.      BROWNING. 

Pause  after  first  syllablfi 1  8  11 

Pause  after  Initial  trocliee 1  3  2 

Pause  after  initial  iambus 13  11  7 

Pause  after  third  syllable 13  16  22 

Pause  after  fourth  syllable      ....  25  33  25 

Pause  after  fifth  syllable 14  23  28 

Pause  after  sixth  syllable 42  24  18 

Pause  after  seventh  syllable    ....  17  23  24 

Pause  after  eighth  syllable      ....  15  14  7 

Pause  after  ninth  syllable 2  7  4 

Pause  final  only 40  53  51 

Pause  internal  only 74  58  45 

Pause  none 25  20  27 

Feminine  ending 11  9  1 

These  results  are  averaged  from  Professor  Mayor's  tables. 
A  wider  range  was  taken  for  analysis  in  Tennyson  than  in 
Milton  or  Browniner. 


101  ENGLISH    VERSIFICATION. 


KINDS    OF    FEKT. 

28.  From  the  same  tables  we  obtain  the  following  propor- 
tion of  substituted  feet  in  the  same  authors,  iu  two  hundred 
lines,  or  a  thousand  feet : 

MILTON.     TENNYSON.      BBOWMINO. 

Pyrrhic 54  60  31 

Spondee 72  62  80 

Trochee  (inilial) 35  37  65 

Trochee  (not  initial).     ......  18  7  9 

Anapiest 31  30  68 

Dactyl 2  2  2 

This  leaves  iambus 788  812  755 


IMITATION   OF  CLASSICAL  METRES.  105 


CHAPTER   XII. 
IMITATION    OF    CLASSICAL    METRES. 

1.  Our  masters  of  English  verse,  not  content  with  the 
range  afforded  them  by  the  various  metres  in  their  native 
language,  have  found  an  attractive  field  of  experiment  in  the 
well-known  forms  of  Greek  and  Latin  prosody. 

2.  As  the  sense  of  rhythm  is  a  natural  instinct,  and  is 
based  upon  fundamental  principles  common  to  all  languages, 
the  prosody  of  one  nation  must  be  always  capable  of  repro- 
duction, to  some  extent,  in  the  language  of  another.  At  the 
same  time,  there  are  peculiarities  of  age  and  race  which  pre- 
vent a  complete  identification  of  one  with  the  other. 

3.  In  the  classical  metres,  as  we  have  shown  in  the  chapter 
on  Quantity,  the  rhythm  depends  upon  the  length  of  the  syl- 
lables ;  in  the  English,  upon  the  accent.  Therefore,  even  if 
we  should  employ  in  English  the  same  number  of  syllables  in 
the  foot,  and  the  same  number  of  feet  in  the  line,  we  should 
not  exactly  reproduce  the  effect  of  the  ancient  metre,  unless 
we  should  employ  also  syllables  corresponding  in  length  to 
those  in  the  original.  For  these  we  lack  the  material.  We 
have,  indeed,  vowels  naturally  long,  and  we  can  furnish 
syllables  made  long  "by  position,"  that  is,  with  two  conso- 
nants after  the  vowel ;  but  to  prolong  these  in  exact  time  is 
foreign  to  our  habits  of  speech,  and  the  most  skilful  arrange- 
ment for  this  purpose  would  probably  fail  to  find  readers  who 
could  produce  the  intended  elTect. 


lUG  ENGLISH    VilKSIFlCATlOX. 

4.  Therefore,  while  complete  reproduction  of  the  classical 
metres  is  scarcely  possible,  there  may  be  various  degrees  of 
successful  imitation.  The  ordinary  method  is  simply  to  copy 
the  rhythm,  by  using  accented  syllables  in  place  of  the  long 
ones  in  the  original.  Or  the  attempt  may  go  farther  than 
this,  and  aim  at  following  the  long  quantit^i^pralso,  as  far  as 
possible.  In  other  cases,  the  modern  metre  is  scarcely  more 
than  a  suggestion  of  the  ancient,  without  any  pretence  of 
exact  imitation. 

li.VCTVLIC    HEXAMETER. 

5.  In  the  classical  form,  this  consisted  of  six  feet,  either 
dactyls  or  spondees.  The  dactyl  was  the  prevailing  unit  of 
rhythm,  and  was  especially  needed  in  the  fifth  foot,  to  give 
the  typical  character.  This  foot,  however,  was  occasionally  a 
spondee,  and  then  the  line  was  called  a  sjiondaic  verse.  The 
sixth,  or  last,  foot  was  always  a  spondee  or  a  trochee.  This 
metre  was  the  recognized  vehicle  of  epic  poetry,  as  iambic 
pentameter  is  in  English. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  use  it  in  English,  for 
the  same  piirpose.  The  number  of  feet  and  the  dactylic 
movement  have  been  closely  adhered  to,  by  using  accented 
syllables  to  take  the  place  of  the  long  ones,  but  it  has  been 
impossible  to  reproduce  the  dignity  and  melody  of  the 
ancient  verse.  AVe  have  few  spondees,  produced  by  two  con- 
tiguous syllables  of  equal  accent  or  emphasis ;  and  the  result 
is  a  great  preponderance  of  dactyls,  and  the  substitution  of 
trochees  for  spondees.  This  gives  a  light  ami  tripping  move- 
ment, which  fails  to  be  relieved  by  passages  of  weight  and 
dignity.  Coleridge  gives  a  favorable  specimen  of  it,  in  a 
translation  from  Schiller: 

Stronclv  it  I  Wars  u»  a  |  lonjr  in  |  swrllinp;  and  |  limitless  |  billows,  | 
KothinR    l>f  I  fore    aiul  |  iiolhln^'   be  |  hind   but  the  |  sky  and   the  | 
«'»ccan.  I 


'    IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  METKES.  107 

As  noted  examples,  may  be  cited,  Soutliey's  "Vision  of 
Judgment,"  Coleridge's  "  Hymn  to  the  Earth,"  Longfellow's 
"Evangeline"  and  "Children  of  the  Lord's  Supper,"  Kings- 
ley's  "  Andromeda,"  and  Clough's  "  The  Bothie  of  Tober-na- 
vuolich." 

Earth,  thou  |  mother  of  |  niimberless  |  children,  tlie  |  nurse  and  the  | 

mother,  \ 
Sister  |  thou  of  the  |  stars,  and  be  |  lov'd  by  the  |  sun,  the  re  |  joicer!  | 
Guardian    and  |  friend    of    the  |  moon,    O  |  Earth,   whom    the  |  comets 

for  I  get  not,  | 

Yea,   in  the  |  measureless  |  distance    wheel  |  round    and    a  |  gain    they 

be  I  hold  thee !  | 

—  Cohridge  :  ITi/mn  to  the  Earth. 

This   is    the  ]  forest    pri  |  meval.     The  |  murmuring  |  pines    and    the  | 

hemlocks, 
Bearded  with  |  moss  and    in  |  garments  |  green,   indi  |  stinct    in    the  | 

twilight. 
Stand  like  |  Druids  of  |  eld,  with  |  voices  |  sad  and  pro  |  phetic, 
Stand  like  |  harpers  |  hoar,  with  |  beards  that  |  rest  on  their  |  bosoms. 

—  Longfellow :  Evangeline. 

6ver  the  |  sea,  pdst  |  Create,  on  the  |  Syrian  |  shore  to  the  |  southward, 
Dwells  in  the  |  well-tilled  |  lowland  a  |  dark-haired  |  ^Ethiop  |  people. 
Skilful    with  I  needle    and  |  loom,    and    the  |  arts    of    the  |  dyer    and  | 

carver; 
Skilful  but  I  feeble  of  |   heart;    for  they  |  know  not    the  |  lords  of 

O  I  lympus, 
Lovers  of  |  men;  neither  |  broad-browed  |  Zeus  nor  |  Pallas  A  |  thene. 
Teacher  of  |  wisdom  to  |  heroes,  be  |  stower  of  |  might  in  the  |  battle; 
Share    not    the  |   cunning   of  |   Ilermes,   nor  |   list   to  the   |   songs   of 

A  I  polio; 

Fearing  the  |  stars  of  the  |  sky,   and  the   |   roll  of  the   ]   blue  salt  | 

water. 

—  h'iiigslei/ :  Andromeda. 

Here  we  find  proper  spondees  in  well-tilled,  dar]<-halred, 
broad-browed,  and  blue  salt.     The  last  makes  a  spondaic  line. 

Thslt  grdat  |  power  with  |  drawn,  re  |  c(5ding  |  here  and  |  passive. 
Felt  she  in  |  myriad  |  springs,  her  |  sources  |  far  in  the  |  mountains, 
Stirring,  col  |  Iccting,  |  rising,  up  |  heaving,  |  forth  out  |  flowing, 


108  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Taking  ami  |  joining,  right  |  welcome,  that   |   delicate   |   rill   in   the   | 

valley, 
Filling  it,  |  making  it  ]  strong,  and  |  still  de  |  scending,  |  seeking, 
With  a  I  blind  fore  |  feeling,  de  |  scending  |  ever,  and  |  seeking. 
With  a  de  |  licious  fore  |  feeling,  the  |  great  still  |  sea  be  |  fore  it. 

—  Clough  :  The  Dothic  of  'fi>ber-na-vuolich. 

And  as  I  wh<5n  in  |  heaven,  a  I  round  the  |  moon  in  her  |  brightness, 
Clear  arc  the  |  lustrous  |  stars  and  |  all  the  |  air  is  |  breathless. 
Seen  are  the  I  jutting  |  peaks  and  |  jutting  |  promon  |  lories, 
Seen    are    the  |  glens    and   re  |  vealed  are  the  |  solemn   a  |  bysses  of  | 

heaven, 
Every  |  star  can  be  |  told,  and  |  gladdened  at  |  heart  is  the  |  shephertl. 

—  IliHlijsun  :  Translation  of  ItUul. 

The    following   seems  to   be  the  same  as  the  hexameter, 
Avanting  the  final  syllable  : 
Speak  to   llini,  |  thou,  for  He  |  hears,   and  |  Spirit  with  |  Spirit  can  | 

meet, 
Closer  is  |  lie  than  |  breathing,  and  |  nearer  than  |  hands  and  |  feet. 

—  Ttuny.inn:  The  llijhcr  Panfheitm. 

ELEGIAC    METUE. 

6.  This  consisted  of  a  dactylic  hexameter  line  followed  by  a 
(lacti/lic  pentameter,  so  CiiWed.  This  ])pntameter  was  peculiar 
in  being  composed  of  two  sections,  each  of  two  and  a  half  feet. 
That  is,  there  were  two  whole  feet  followed  by  a  long  syllable 
before  the  ciesural  i)au.se,  and  then  two  more  whole  feet 
followed  by  a  long  syllable.  Coleridge  illustrates  it,  in  a 
translation  from  Schiller: 

in  the  hex  |  aincter  |  rises  the  |  fiauitain';*  |  silvery  |  criliiinn, 
in  the  pen  |  tiimeter  |  aye  ||  |  falling  in  |  nu'-Iotly  |  back.  || 

In  tliis  metre  are  written  Clough's  "Amours  de  Voy.age," 
and  a  jioem  entitled  "Dorothy,"  by  A.  J.  Munby.  Swin- 
burne's "  Ilesperia"  is  nearly  the  same,  although  with  a  modi- 
lied  form  of  the  pentameter. 

Sh.ill  I  not,  I  6,  may  I  |  not  thus  |  yet  re  |  fn'sh  the  re  |  meinbrancc  | 
What  swcvtu  I  jiiyus  I  had  |  unce  ||  and  |  what  a  |  place  I  did  |  hold. 

.S'tr  I'hiUii  Hnliuy. 


IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  METRES.  109 

6ver  the  |  grdat  windy  |  waters  aud  |  over  the  |  cl^ar-erested  |  summits, 

Unto  the  |  siin  and  the  |  sky  ||  and  |  linto  the  |  perfecter  |  earth; 
Come   let    us   |   go    to    a   |   land    where   |   gods    of    the   |   old    time  | 
wandered,  | 
Where  every  |  hreath  even  |  now  11  |  changes  to  |  ether  di  |  vine.  | 

—  Clow/h  ■■  Amours  de  Voyage. 
Dorothy  |  goes  with  her  |  pails  to  the  |  ancient  |  well  in  the  |  court- 
yard, 
Daily  at  |  grdy  of  |  morn,  1!  |  daily  ere  |  twilight  at  |  eve  ; 
Often  and  |  often  a  |  gain  she  |  winds  at  the  |  mighty  old  |  windlass, 
Still  with  her  |  strong  red  |  arms  11  |  landing  the  |  bucket  a  |  right. 

—  A.J.  Munby  :  Dorothy. 
Out  of  the  golden  remote  wild  west,  where  the  sea  without  shore  is 

Full  of  the  sunset,  and  sad,  if  at  all,  with  the  fulness  of  joy. 
As  a  wind  sets  in  with  the  autumn  that  blows  from  the  region  of  stories, 
Blows  with  a  perfume  of  songs  and  of  memories  beloved  from  a  boy. 

—  Swinburne :  Hespcria. 

Tennyson  gives  us  two  examples  of  Elegiacs.  One  is  an 
imitation  in  quantity. 

These  lame  |  hexame  |  ters,  the  |  stnjng-winged  |  music  of  |  Homer  ? 

No  —  but  a  I  most  bur  |  lesque  II  |  barbarous  |  experi  |  niont.  | 
When  was  a  harsher  sound  ever  heard,  ye  Muses,  in  England  ? 

When  did  a  frog  coarser  croak  upoH  our  Helicon  ? 
Hexameters  no  worse  than  daring  Germany  gave  us, 

Barbarous  experiment,  barbarous  hexameters. 

Here  it  will  be  noticed  that  the  first  foot  is  a  natural 
spondee,  both  syllables  being  long  by  nature.  The  first  syllable 
in  the  third  foot  is  made  long  by  position  (closing  with  two 
consonants),  and  is  accented  arbitrarily  to  bring  out  the  force 
of  a  long  syllable.  The  same  is  true  of  the  last  syllable  in 
exjyeriment.  The  verse  must  be  read  with  these  forced  accents 
to  produce  the  effect  intended. 

The  other  example  from  Tennyson  is  written  with  the 
ordinary  accent,  without  special  regard  to  quantity. 

Creeping  through  |  blossoming  |  rushes  and  |  bowers  of  |  rose-blowing  | 
bushes, 
Down  by  the  |  poplar  |  tall  11  |  rivulets  |  babble  and  |  fall,  jj 


110  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


HENDECASYLLABICS. 

7.  This  word  means  eleven-syllable  metre.  The  verse  is 
composed  of  a  spoudee,  a  dactyl,  and  three  trochees.  In  the 
following  specimen  by  Tennyson,  the  tirst  syllable  of  each 
foot  is  intended  to  be  plainly  accented,  even  where  it  would 
not  be  naturally  accented,  in  order  to  carry  out  the  eifect  of 
syllables  long  in  quantity.  Thus,  the  syllable  lent  of  the 
fourth  foot  in  the  first  line  must  be  accented,  and  such  obscure 
syllables  as  is  and  of,  when  they  occupy  the  first  place  in 
their  respective  feet.  We  shall  then  see  "JIow  fantastical  is 
the  dainty  metre  !  " 

6  yoti  I  cliorus  of  |  in(!o  |  k'nt  ro  |  virwcrs,  | 

Irrr  I  spousiblo,  |  indo  |  K'lit  re  |  viewers, 

L<')ok,  I  I  come  to  the  |  test,  a  |  tiny  |  poem, 

AH  com  I  posetl  in  a  |  nu'lre  |  of  Ca  |  tiillus; 

All  in  I  quantity,  |  careful  |  of  my  |  motion,  | 

Like  the  |  skater  on  |  ice  tliat  |  hardly  |  bears  him,  | 

Lt'st  I  I  fall  una  |  wares  be  |  fore  tlie  |  p<'ople. 

Waking  |  laughter  in  |  iiulo  |  K'nt  re  |  vii'wers.  | 

Shoulil  I  lloundcr  awhile  without  a  tumble, 

Thro'  this  motrificalion  of  Catullus, 

Tliey  should  speak  to  me  not  witliout  a  welcome, 

All  that  chorus  of  indolent  roviewers. 

Hard,  liard,  hard  is  it,  only  not  to  tumble, 

So  fantastical  Is  the  dainty  metre. 

The  next  example  is  from  Swinburne : 

In  th(5  I  month  of  the  |  long  de  |  clinc  of  |  roses, 
I,  be  I  h(')Iding  llio  |  slimmer  |  drad  be  |  ff'trc  me,  | 
Set  my  face  to  tlie  sea,  and  jouriwyed  silent, 
Gazing  e.igerly  where  above  the  sea-mark, 
FiaUH'  as  (itrre  as  the  forvid  eyes  of  lions 
Half  divided  the  eyelids  of  the  simset. 

Coleridge  also  furnishes  an  oxainpU*  of  hendocasyllabios  so 
called ;  but  by  the  substitution  of  a  dactyl  for  the  opening 


IMITATION  OF   CLASSICAL  METRES.  HI 

spondee,  tlie  original  rhythm  is  modified,  and  the  number  of 
syllables  becomes  twelve  instead  of  eleven : 

Hear,  ray  be  |  loved,  an  |  old  Mi  |  Icslan  |  story! 
High  and  em  |  bosom'd  in  |  congre  |  gated  |  laurels,  | 
Glimmer'd  a  temple  upon  a  breezy  headland; 
In  the  dim  distance,  amid  the  skyey  billows, 
Hose  a  fair  island ;  the  god  of  flocks  had  placed  it. 

In  Charles  Lamb's  well-known  poem,  "The  Old  Familiar 
Faces,"  we  have  a  suggestion  of  this  metre,  retaining  the  three 
trochees  at  the  end,  and  varying  between  spondees  and  dactyls 
in  the  first  part  of  the  line : 

i  have  had  |  playmates,  |  I  have  |  had  com  |  p:inions, 
in  my  |  days  of  |  childhood  |  in  my  |  joyful  |  school  days; 
Aw,  all  arc  |  gone,  the  |  old  fa  |  miliar  |  ftices.  | 

Another  modification  of  this  form  is  seen  in  Browning's 
"One  Word  IMore."  Instead  of  retaining  the  dactyl  in  the 
second  foot,  he  uses  all  trochees,  making  ten  syllables  instead 
of  eleven : 

Eafael  |  made  a  |  centu  |  ry  of  |  sonnets, 
Made  and  |  wrote  them  |  in  a  |  certain  |  volume,  | 
Dinted  |  with  the  |  silver-  |  pointed  |  pencil,  | 
Else  he  |  only  |  used  to  |  draw  Ma  |  donnas.  | 

The  first  and  third  lines  in  this  stanza  of  Matthew  Arnold 
suggest  also  the  same  modification : 


*DO^ 


Raise  the  ]  light,  my  |  pige,  that  |  I  may  |  see  her,  | 
Thou  art  come  at  last,  then,  haughty  Queen! 

Long  I've  |  waited,  |  long  I've  |  fought  my  |  ft^ver;  | 
Late  thou  comest,  cruel  thou  hast  been. 

In  all  these  examples,  a  peculiar  character  is  often  given  to 
the  rhythm  by  a  weakened  stress  upon  the  fourth  foot  in  tho 
line. 


112  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 


ALCAICS. 

8.  Tlie  scliome  of  this  metre,  as  used  by  Horace,  may  be 
marked  thus : 

o|   —  o]   —  w|   —  o^l   \J  \J  \ 

i_)|  —  u|  —-1^1  —  i_/u|  —  uwl 

<J   \    —  u|    <J   \    Vj|    >->| 

—  <J  1-1  I  —  owl  —  w  I  —  1^  I 

Tennyson  finely  reproduces  this,  in  quantity,  as  well  as 
accent,  in  his  verses  on  Milton : 

O  I  inif^hly  I  ni(')uthM  In  |  vi'ntrtr  Of  |  harmrtnic^s,  | 
O  I  skill'd  trt  I  sing  Of  |  Time  Or  ft  I  ir-niltv,  | 
God-  I  gifted  I  orgiln-  |  voice  Of  |  Kni;i:\nd,  | 
ililtOn,  a  I  name  tO  rC  |  sound  for  |  ;iL;Cs.  | 

lie  has  also  two  distinct  modifications  of  it,  one  in  his  lines, 
"  To  the  llev.  F.  D.  Maurice  :  " 

u|  — o]  — o  I  — w|  — 

u|_  w  I  —v^l   _o|  _  I 

u|   W   \   w|    <J  \    <J  \ 

—  w  i-*  I  —  o  w  I  VJ  I  

Como,  I  Maurice,  |  come;  tlie  |  lawn  as  I  yet 
la  I  lio.ir  with  |  rime,  or  |  spongy  |  wet; 
But  I  wht'n  the  |  wn'ath  of  |  M;irch  has  |  blossomed,  | 
Crocus,  a  |  nemonc,  |  vio  |  let, 

Or  later,  pay  one  visit  here, 
For  those  are  few  we  hold  as  dear  ; 
Nor  pay  but  one,  but  come  for  many. 
Many  and  many  a  happy  year. 

The  other  is  "  The  Daisy :  " 

w|  — w  I  — o  I  — u|  — 

o  I  —  o  I  — o  I  —o  1  — 


IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  METRES.  113 

O  I  Love,  what  |  hours  were  |  mine  and  |  thine, 
In  I  liinds  of  |  palm  and  |  southern  |  pine, 

In  I  kinds  of  |  p;ilm,  of  |  orange  |  blossom, 
Of  olive,  I  aloe,  and  |  maize  and  |  vine. 


SAPPHICS. 

9.  This  consists  of  three  lines  of  the  following  scheme ; 


followed  by  one  line  marked  thus : 


This  is  closely  reproduced  by  Swinburne,  in  quantity : 

All  the  I  niglit  sUsep  |  cajoe  not  up  |  f'uuny  |  eyeljds,  | 
SEed  not  |  dew  nor  I  shook  nor  un  |  closed  a  |  feather, 
Yet  with  I  lips  sluit  |  close,  and  with  |  eyes  of  |  iron 
Stood  and  be  |  held  me.  | 

The  more  common  English  form  follows  only  the  accentual 
pronunciation  of  the  Latin.     Thus,  from  Southey : 

Swift  through  the  sky  the  vessel  of  the  Suras 
Sails  up  the  fields  of  ether  like  an  angel. 
Rich  is  the  freight,  O  vessel,  that  thou  bearest, 
Beauty  and  virtue. 

SEPTENARIUS. 

10.  In  classical  Greek  and  Latin,  this  metre  was  composed 
of  seven  trochees,  with  an  added  syllable.  This  is  exactly 
reproduced  in  Longfellow's  "Psalm  of  Life." 

T^ll  me  I  not  in  |  mournful  |  numbers,   |  Life  is  |  but  an  |  (?mpty  | 
drdam. 

In  later  Latin,  this  became  modified,  and  formed,  as  we 
have  seen,  the  basis  for  the  English  Septenary. 


Ill  EXGLLSn   VERSIFICATION. 

S  A  T  U  i;  N  1  A  N  . 

11.  This  is  a  very  ancient  Latin  form,  in  wliicli  accent  and 
even  rhyme  seem  to  liave  had  part: 

o|  —  w  \  —  v-"!  —  u|     II  —  u]  1^1  \J 

The  I  king  was  |  in  the  |  parlor,  ||  |  counting  |  out  his  |  money: 
The  I  queen  was  |  in  the  |  kitchen,  ||  |  eating  |  bread  and  |  honey. 

—  Mother  Goose. 

C  II  O  K  I  A  M  U  I  C . 

12.  A  spondee,  three  choriambus,  and  an  iambus : 

I   O  >_(  I   O  l_l  1  U  1-1  —   I  u  

Love,   what   |   ailed   thee  to  l(?ave  |  life   that   was   ni;iile   |    hWely  wc 

tlioughl  I  witli  love  ? 

Whdt  sweet  |  visions  of  sleep  |  liired  thee  away  |  d<')wn  from  the  light  | 

above  ? 

—  Sicinbumc 

G  A  I.  L  I  A  M  B I  C  . 

13.  This  is  the  metre  of  the  Attis  of  Catullus.     The  effect 
is  as  follows : 

—  |o  —  |>-»  —  |u  —  I*-"!!  —  I*-"  —  l^u  —  |u  — 

So  I  in  ire  |  she  spake,  |  adjust  |  ing  ||dis  |  uni  |  tedly  thdn  |  her  yoke.  | 
At  I  his  own  I  rebuke  |  the  li  |  on  Udolh  |  his  heart  |  to  a  fu  |  ry  spur. 
With  I  a  step,  |  a  roar,  |  a  burst  |  ing,  ||  un  |  arrest  |  cd  of  an  |  y  brake. 

—  Jtohiiiton  Ellis :  Transltition  of  the  Attis. 

Tlie  same  metre  is  suggested  by  Tennyson  in  his  "  Boadicea." 

While  about  the  shores  of  Mona  those  Neronian  legionaries 
IJurnt  and  broke  the  grove  and  altar  of  the  Druid  ami  Druidess, 
Far  in  the  east  Boadicea,  standing  loftily  charioted, 
>Ia<l  and  maddening  all  who  heard  her  in  her  fierce  volubility, 
(Jirt  l)y  half  ih'-  tribes  of  Hritain,  near  the  colony  Cami'lodnne, 
Yell'd  ami  sliriek'd  between  lier  daughters  o'er  a  wild  con.spiracy. 


FOKEIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  115 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
FOREIGN    FORMS    OF    VERSE. 

1.  English  verse,  like  the  language  it  uses,  is  hospitable 
to  all  forms.  We  have  seen  it  emerge  from  its  crude  begiu- 
nings,  of  brief  Saxon  couplets,  modified  by  the  more  sonorous 
Norman  metres,  and  gradually  take  on  an  established  style, 
in  accordance  with  its  own  genius.  This  style,  precise  in 
heroic  measures,  and  flowing  in  the  lyric,  is  characterized  by 
a  certain  careless  grace,  in  which  the  sentiment  rather  clothes 
itself  than  is  "  clothed  upon  "  by  any  formal  rules  of  art. 

The  plastic  materials,  however,  can  easily  be  moulded  into 
other  shapes,  and  in  the  absence  of  the  higher  inspiration, 
the  fancy  amuses  itself  with  the  possibilities  of  artistic  form 
and  finish. 

With  what  success  our  poets  have  imitated  the  rhythms  of 
the  classic  languages,  has  been  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
We  have  now  to  consider  a  phase  of  imitative  work  which  is 
of  quite  recent  origin. 

2.  In  the  Cornhill  Magazine,  for  July,  1877,  appeared  an 
article  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Gosse,  entitled  a  "  Plea  for  Certain 
Exotic  Forms  of  Verse."  These  forms,  not  native  to  our 
language,  are  chiefly  of  French  origin,  and  some  of  them  can 
be  traced  back  to  the  time  of  the  Troubadours.  They  were 
composed  by  French  writers,  in  great  variety,  in  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries,  and  were  revived  again  in  the 
seventeenth.     Previous  to  the  year  1873,  they  had  attracted 


116  ENGLISH   VEIISIFICATIOX. 

but  small  attention,  comparatively,  from  English  writers. 
Cliaucer  had  made  some  use  of  tlie  IxtlUide  ;  Gower  had  written 
fifty  of  that  kind  in  French;  Sir  Philip  Sidney  has  a  ditty 
suggesting  the  rondel ;  Drummond  of  Ilawthornden  wrote  a 
sestina ;  and  a  volume  entitled  "The  Trivial  Poems,  and 
Triolets,"  of  Patrick  Carey,  was  published  in  England,  in 
IGol.  The  son7u-t,  not  included  in  this  list,  as  being  ot 
Italian  origin,  has  been  naturalized  in  English  from  the 
earliest  times. 

3.  ]]ut  since  the  publication  in  England,  in  1872,  of  Mr. 
Andrew  Lang's  "  Lays  and  Lyrics  of  Old  France,"  or  arising 
simultaneously  with  it,  a  rapid  growth  has  taken  place  of  this 
style  of  metrical  composition.  Mr.  Austin  Dobson,  Mr. 
E.  W.  Gosse,  and  Mr.  W.  E.  Ileidoy  were  the  earliest  com- 
posers of  these  forms,  but  the  number  of  their  followei-s  has 
now  widely  multiplied  both  in  England  and  in  America. 

4.  The  following  rules  and  e.xamjjles  of  the  various  forms 
are  given  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  Gosse,  in  the  artic^U^  men- 
tioned, and  of  Mr.  Gleeson  "White,  in  his  book  of  ''IJallades 
and  Kondeaus," '  published  by  D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  New  York, 
1888. 

Tin:     nAMwVDK. 

5.  This,  in  its  strict  form,  consists  of  three  stanzas  of  eight 
lines  each,  followed  by  a  verse  of  four  lines,  called  tho 
Envoy  ;  or  three  stanzas  of  ten  lines  each,  with  envoy  of 
five,  each  of  the  stanzas  and  tlio  envoy  closing  with  tiie  same 
refrain. 

The  same  sot  (jf  rhymes  used  in  the  first  stanza  must  bo 
repeated  in  the  other  stanzas,  and  in  the  same  order.  No 
word   once   used   as  a  rhyme  must  be  used  again  as  sucli, 

'  RonidoB  bnllndoH  and  rondcniis,  tlio  book  contniiiR  nil  the  forms  mon- 
tioued  ill  tliiH  cliai>tcT,  uboiit  tlinu  litiiitlrcd  i'x:iiii|il('8  in  ull. 


FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  '      117 

throughout  the  poem.  Tlie  envoy  has  the  same  rhymes,  and 
in  the  same  order,  as  the  last  half  of  the  preceding  stanza. 
The  rhyme  formula  is  a  b  a  b  b  c  b  c,fov  the  eight-line  stanzas, 
and  a  b  a  b  b  c  c  (1  c  d,  iox  the  ten. 

TUE   BLITHE   BAI,I,ADE. 

Of  all  the  songs  that  dwell 

AVhere  softest  speech  doth  flow, 
Sonic  love  the  sweet  rondel, 

And  some  the  bright  rondeau, 

AVith  rhymes  that  tripping  go 
In  mirthful  measures  clad; 

But  would  I  choose  thorn  ?    No; 
For  me  the  blithe  ballade ! 

O'er  some,  the  villanelle, 

That  sets  the  heart  aglow, 
Doth  its  enchanting  spell 

With  lines  recurring  throw; 

Some,  weighed  with  wasting  woe, 
Gay  triolets  make  them  glad ; 

But  would  I  choose  them  ?    No; 
For  me  the  blithe  ballade! 

On  chant  of  stately  swell, 

With  measured  feet  and  slow, 
As  grave  as  minster  bell. 

As  vesper  tolling  slow, 

Do  some  their  praise  bestow; 
Some  on  sestinas  sad; 
But  would  I  choose  them  ?    No; 

Forme  the  blithe  ballade! 

Envoy. 

Piince,  to  these  songs  a-row. 

The  Muse  might  endless  add; 
But  would  I  choose  thejn  ?    No; 
For  me  the  blithe  ballade  I 

—  Clinton  ScoUcard. 


lis  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

As  in  a  clifferent  style,  I  give  the  first  verse  of  a  ballade,  by 
Mr.  Swinburne,  which  Mr.  Gosse  praises  as  ''an  excellent  type 
of  all  that  a  ballade  should  be." 

A   DALLAD  OF  DKEAMLAND. 

I  hid  my  heart  in  a  nest  of  roses, 

Out  of  the  sun's  way  hidden  apart; 
In  a  softer  bed  than  the  soft  wliitc  snow's  Is, 

Under  the  roses  I  hid  my  heart. 

Wliy  would  it  sleep  not  ?    Why  should  it  start, 
Wlien  never  a  leaf  of  the  rose-tree  stirred  ? 

What  made  sleep  flutter  his  wings  and  part  ? 
Only  the  song  of  a  secret  bird. 

—  A.  C.  SwinburtK.    (See  Appendix.) 


TIIK     KONDEL. 

6.  This  consists  of  fourtoen  lines,  the  nnmber  of  syllables 
in  a  line  not  fixed  in  modern  usage.  The  first  and  second 
lines  are  repeated  for  the  seventh  and  eighth,  and  also  for  the 
thirteenth  and  fourteenth.  There  are  but  two  rhymes.  The 
rhyme  order  is  not  fixed. 

Too  hard  it  is  to  sing 

In  these  untuneful  times, 
When  only  coin  can  ring, 

And  no  one  cares  for  rhymes. 

Alas!  for  him  who  climbs 
To  Aganippe's  spring! 
Too  hard  it  is  to  sing 

In  these  untuticful  times! 
His  kindred  clip  his  wing, 

Ilis  feet  the  critic  limes; 
If  Fame  her  laurel  bring, 

01<I  age  his  forehe.id  rimes; 
Too  hanl  it  is  to  sing 

lu  Ihesu  untuneful  times! 

—  .iusdn  Dohmm. 


FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  119 


THE    RONDEAU. 

7.  This  is  a  later  form  of  the  rondel.  It  is  composed  of 
thirteen  lines  of  eight  or  ten  syllables  each.  It  is  written  in 
three  stanzas,  of  five,  three,  and  five  lines  respectively. 
There  are  but  two  rhymes.  A  refrain,  made  of  the  first  word, 
or  words,  of  the  first  line,  is  added  after  the  second  stanza, 
and  also  after  the  third.  The  usual  rhyme-order  is  a  a  b  b  a, 
a  a  b,  a  a  b  b  a. 

AN  ACROSTICAL  VALENTINE. 

Fast  in  your  heart,  O  rondeau  rare, 
Rich  with  t)ie  wealth  of  love,  I  dare, 

Alas  to  send,  but  not  to  sign. 

Nestles  my  name.  The  fetters  fine 
Kissed  by  her  lips,  may  break,  — beware! 

Delight  is  dizzy  with  despair. 
Suppose  she  fain  would  answer,  —  there! 
How  shall  she  find  this  name  of  mine 

Fast  in  your  heart  ? 

Enough  if  secrecy  you  swear; 
Red  lips  can't  solve  the  subtile  snare 
My  tricksy  muse  weaves  with  her  line; 
And  I  am  caught,  vain  Valentine! 
N.  B.  —  Say,  should  she  ask  you  where  ? 
Fast  in  your  heart. 

—  Frank  Dempster  Sherman, 


THE    ROUTIDEL. 

8.  Mr.  Swinburne  seems  to  have  given  currency  to  this 
form,  wliich  is  a  modification  of  the  rondeau.  He  writes  it  in 
three  stanzas  of  three  lines  each,  with  a  refrain  after  the  first 
and  the  tliird.     Tlie  lines  are  of  any  length  from  four  to  six- 


120  ENGLLSn  VERSIFICATION. 

teen  syllables.     There  are  only  two  rhymes,  in  the  order  aba, 

b  a  b,  a  b  a, 

A  baiiy's  hands. 

A  baby's  hands,  like  rosobmls  furled, 

Whence  yet  no  leaf  expands, 
Ope  if  you  touch,  though  close  up-curled, 

A  baby's  hands. 

Then,  even  as  warriors  grip  tlieir  brands. 

When  battle's  bolt  is  liurled. 
They  close,  clenched  hard  like  tightening  bands. 

No  rosebuds  yet,  by  dawn  inipearled, 

Match,  even  in  loveliest  lands. 

The  sweetest  flowers  in  all  the  world, 

A  baby's  hands. 

—  A.  C.  .'ywinUtirtie. 


TTIK    KYRIELLE. 

9.  The  kyrielh;  is  a  familiar  form,  known  in  all  our  hymn- 
books.  It  is  a  poem  in  four-line  stanzas,  having  the  last  lino 
of  each  stanza  the  same. 

THK    PAVn.IO.V. 

In  tlie  tent  the  lamps  were  liright; 
Out  beyond,  the  siirunier  night 
Thrilled  and  quivered  like  u  star; 
M't'  hineldh  were  IcJ't  so  fur. 

From  the  depths  of  blue  profound 
Never  any  sight  or  sound 
Came  our  loneliness  to  mar; 
We  beneath  were  left  no  far. 

IJut  against  the  snuimer  sky 
Only  you  Htood  out  and  I ; 
Frouj  all  other  things  th.at  arc 
We  hcnealfi  ictrc  left  so  fur. 

—  A.  Mitry  F.  RobintoHt 


FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  121 


THE     PANTOUM. 

10.  This  is  not  of  French,  but  of  Malay  origin.  It  may 
have  any  number  of  stanzas,  of  four  lines  each.  The  second 
and  fourth  line  of  each  stanza  form  the  first  and  third  of  each 
succeeding  one,  until,  to  close  the  whole,  the  second  and  fourth 
lines  of  the  last  stanza  are  made  from  the  first  and  third,  or 
third  and  first,  of  the  first  stanza.  The  rhymes  are  ah  ah, 
b  c  b  c,  c  d  c  d,  till  the  last,  z  a  z  a. 

EN   KOUTE. 

Here  we  are  riding  the  rail, 

Gliding  from  out  of  the  station; 

Man  though  I  am,  1  am  pale, 
Certain  of  heat  and  vexation. 

Gliding  from  out  of  the  station, 

Out  from  the  city  we  thrust, 
Certain  of  heat  and  vexation. 

Sure  to  be  covered  with  dust. 

Out  from  the  city  we  thrust; 

Rattling  we  run  o'er  the  bridges; 
Sure  to  be  covered  with  dust, 

Stung  by  a  thousand  of  midges. 


Ears  are  on  edge  at  the  rattle, 
Man  though  I  am,  I  am  pale, 

Sounds  like  the  noise  of  a  battle. 
Here  we  are  riding  the  rail. 

—  Brander  Matthews. 


THEVIRELAI. 

11.  The  number  of  stanzas  is  not  fixed,  or  the  number  of 
lines  in  a  stanza.  The  rhyme  order  is  a  ah,  a  a  b,  a  a  h,  in 
multiples  of  three,  for  the  first  stanza ;  then,  b  b  c,  h  b  c,  h  h  c, 
in  the  second  stanza;  c  c  d,  c  c  d,  c  c  d,  in  the  third,  and  so  on. 


122  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

Tlie  last  stanza  (if  we  take  seven  stanzas,  for  example)  would 
have  g  g  a,  g  g  a,  g  g  a.  Each  rhyme  appears  twice,  once  ia 
the  couplets  and  once  in  the  single  lines. 

SPHINO   SADNESS. 

As  I  sat  sorrowing, 

Love  came  and  bade  nie  sing 

A  joyous  song  and  meet ; 
For  see  (said  he)  each  thing 
Is  merry  for  tlie  Spring, 

And  every  bird  doth  greet 
The  break  of  blossoming, 
That  all  tiie  woodlands  ring 

Unto  the  young  hours'  feet. 

Wlierefore  put  off  defeat. 
And  rouse  thee  to  repeat 

Tlie  cliiines  of  merles  that  go, 
With  fhilini;s  shrill  and  sweet, 
In  every  green  retreat, 

The  tune  of  streams  that  How, 
And  mark  the  fair  hoius'  beat 
Willi  running  ripples  licet, 

And  breezes  soft  and  low. 


So  for  the  sad  soul's  ease. 
Remembrance  treasures  these 

Against  Time's  harvesting, 
That  so  when  mild  Death  frees 
The  soul  from  Life's  <liseasc 

Of  strife  and  sorrowing, 
In  glass  of  memories. 
The  new  liope  looks  and  sees 

Through  death  a  brighter  Spring. 

—  John  Payne. 

THE    VIRKI.AI    NOUVKAU. 

12.  This  Jias  but  two  rliynics,  the  order  not  fixcul.  Tlio 
first  stanza  is  a  couplet,  which  serves  also  as  a  refrain  for  the 
later  stanzas,  the  first  line  ending  the  second  stanza,  and  the 


FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  123 

second  line  ending  the  third  stanza,  and  so  on  alternately. 
The  stanzas  vary  in  number  of  lines,  from  five  to  seventeen. 
(See  Appendix.) 

THE    RONDEAU    BEDOUBL^. 

13.  This  is  written  in  six  stanzas  of  four  lines  each,  with  but 
two  rhymes.  Its  peculiarity  is  that  each  line  of  the  first 
stanza  is  used  again  in  the  same  order  to  serve  for  the  last 
line  of  stanzas  two,  three,  four,  and  five.  The  last  line  of  the 
sixth  has  a  new  wording  for  itself;  but  has,  in  addition,  a 
refrain  consisting  of  tlie  first  half  of  the  first  line  of  the  poem. 
The  rhyme-order  is  a  b  a  b  in  the  first,  and  b  a  b  a  in  the 
second,  and  so  on. 

My  day  and  night  are  in  my  lady's  hand; 
I  have  no  other  sunrise  than  her  sight; 

For  me  her  favoa*  glorifies  the  land; 
Iler  anger  darkens  all  the  cheerful  light. 

Her  face  is  fairer  than  the  hawthorn  white, 
When  all  a-flower  in  May  tlie  hedgerows  stand; 

While  she  is  kind,  I  know  of  no  affright; 
My  day  and  night  are  in  my  lady's  hand. 

All  heaven  in  her  glorious  eyes  is  spanned; 
Iler  smile  is  softer  than  the  summer's  night, 

Gladder  than  daybreak  on  the  Faery  strand; 
I  have  no  other  sunrise  than  her  sight. 


Come  weal  or  woe,  I  am  my  lady's  knight, 
And  in  her  service  every  ill  withstand; 

Love  is  my  Lord  in  all  the  world's  despite, 
And  holdeth  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand 

My  day  and  night. 

—  John  Payne. 


124  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 


THE    SICILIAN    OCTAVE. 

14.  Mr.  White  gives  but  two  examples  of  this  form,  both 
by  the  same  author,  describing  and  exeini)lifyiiig  it.  It  is 
one  stanza  of  eight  lines,  with  but  two  rhymes,  abababab. 
We  give  one  example  : 

To  thee,  fair  Isle,  Italia's  satellite, 

Italian  harps  their  native  measures  lend; 
Yet,  wooing  sweot  diversity,  not  quite 

Thy  octaves  with  Italia's  octaves  blend. 
Six  streaming  lines  amass  the  arrowy  might, 

In  hers,  one  cataract  couplet  doth  expend; 
Thine  hike-wi.se  widens,  level  in  the  light. 

And  like  to  its  beginning  is  its  end. 

—  Jiichard  Uantett,  LL.D. 

THE    SESTINA. 

15.  The  sestitia  has  six  stanzas, -each  of  six  lines,  of  equal 
length. 

a.  The  lines  of  the  six  stanzas  end  witli  the  six  same  words, 
each  line  having  a  ditTi-nuit  word,  and  these  words  not 
rhyming  together. 

b.  The  ending  words  are  repeated  in  each  succeeding  stanza, 
after  the  following  scheme:  Hist  stanza,  1,  2,  .'{,  4,  5,  G.  Sec- 
ond, G,  1 ,  5,  2,  4,  3.  Third,  3,  G,  4, 1,  2,  5.  Fourth,  5,  3,  2,  6, 1,  4. 
Fifth,  4,  1,  5,  3,  G,  2.     Sixth,  2,  4,  G,  r>,  3,  1. 

c.  After  the  six  stanzas  comes  a  three-line  stanza,  using  tho 
same  six  words  over  again,  three  at  the  end  of  the  lines  and 
three  in  the  middle. 

To  show  tlie  form,  we  give  the  first  two  stanzas  and  tho 
last  of  a  sestina  by  Mr.  Gosse  : 

In  fair  rr<)venr«',  the  land  of  lute  ami  ro.se, 
A  maul,  great  master  of  liic  lore  of  love, 
First  wrought  scslines  to  win  his  lady's  heart; 


FOREIGN"  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  125 

For  she  was  deaf  when  simple  staves  he  sang, 
And  for  her  sake  he  broke  the  bonds  of  rhyme, 
And  in  this  subtler  measure  hid  his  woe. 

"Harsh  be  my  hnes,"  cried  Arnaut,  "harsh  the  woe, 
My  lady,  tliat  enthron'd  and  cruel  rose, 
Inflicts  on  him  that  made  her  live  in  rhyme  !" 
But  through  the  metres  spake  the  voice  of  Love, 
And  like  a  wild-wood  nightingale  he  sang, 
Who  thought  in  crabbed  lays  to  ease  his  heart. 


Ah!  sovereign  Love,  forgive  this  Avcaker  rhyme! 
The  men  of  old  who  sang  were  great  at  heart. 
Yet  have  we  too  known  woe,  and  worn  thy  rose. 


THE    VILIiANELIiE. 

16.  The  original  model  contains  but  nineteen  lines.  It  has 
five  stanzas  of  three  lines  each,  and  a  sixth  of  four  lines. 
The  method  of  using  the  refrain  is  peculiar.  The  first  line  of 
the  first  stanza  is  used  as  the  last  line  of  the  second  stanza, 
and  of  each  alternate  stanza  afterwards.  The  last  line  of  the 
first  stanza  is  used  as  the  last  line  of  the  third  stanza  and  of 
each  alternate  one  afterwards.  Then,  the  two  together,  that 
is,  the  first  and  last  lines  of  the  first  stanza,  become  the  last 
two  lines  of  the  last  stanza.  There  are  only  two  rhymes,  a  h  a, 
through  the  whole.  Mr.  Gosse,  however,  does  not  limit  the 
villanelle  to  nineteen  lines,  but  says  it  may  be  of  any  length, 
if  only  it  retain  the  number  and  length  of  rhymes  ; 

A  dainty  thing's  the  Villanelle; 

Sly,  musical,  a  jewel  in  rhyme. 
Its  serves  its  purpose  passing  well. 


A  double  clappcrod  silver  bell. 

That  must  be  made  to  clink  in  chime; 
A  dainty  thing's  the  Villanelle. 


126  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

And  if  you  wish  to  flute  a  sixill, 

Or  ask  a  meeting  'neath  the  lime, 
It  serves  its  purpose  passing  well. 

You  must  not  ask  of  it  the  swell 

Of  organs  gramliose  and  sublime; 
A  dainty  thing's  the  Villanelle, 

And  filled  with  sweetness,  as  a  shell 

Is  niled  with  sound,  and  launched  in  time; 
It  serves  its  purpose  passing  well. 

Still  fair  to  see  and  good  to  smell 
As  in  the  quaintncss  of  its  prime, 

A  dainty  thing's  the  Villant'lle; 
It  serves  its  purpose  passing  well. 

—  IF.  E.  Ilenley. 

(For  another  example,  see  Appendix.) 


TUE    TllIOLET. 

17.  *<  The  triolet,"  says  Mr.  White,  "  may  be  regarded  as 
almost  an  epitome  of  the  other  forms."  It  is  composed  of 
eight  lines,  the  number  of  syllables  not  fixed.  The  first  lino 
is  repeated  for  the  fourth,  and  the  first  and  second  are 
repeated  for  the  seventh  and  eighth.  The  rhyme  order  is 
a  b  a  a  a  0  a  h. 

I  intended  an  Ode, 

And  it  turned  into  Triolets. 
It  hogan  h  In  vintle  : 
1  intended  an  Ode, 
IJul  Hose  crossed  the  road 

With  a  l)Unch  of  fn-sh  violets. 
I  inti-nded  an  Ode, 

And  it  turned  into  Triolol.s. 

—  Auitin   l>>>hstm. 


FOREIGN  FORMS   OF  VERSE.  127 

CHAIN    VERSE. 

18.  In  the  chain  verse  of  French  origin,  a  word  in  one  line 
"was  repeated  in  a  new  form  in  the  next.  This  seems  to  have 
suggested  two  similar  forms  in  English.  In  one,  the  last  word 
of  a  line  is  repeated  as  the  first  word  in  the  next  line  : 

Nerve  tliy  soul  with  doctrines  noble, 

Noble  in  the  walks  of  time, 
Time  that  leads  to  an  eternal, 

An  eternal  life  sxiblime : 
Life  sublime  in  moral  beauty,^ 

Beauty  that  shall  ever  be  ; 
Ever  be  to  lure  thee  onward, 

0)iw;ar(Z  to  the  fountain/ree: 
Free  to  every  earnest  seeker. 

Seeker  for  the  fount  of  i/outh, 
Youth  exultant  in  its  beauty. 

Beauty  of  the  living  truth. 

In  the  other  form,  the  last  line  of  a  stanza  becomes  the 
first  line  of  the  next  stanza : 

My  spirit  longeth  for  Thee 

Within  my  troubled  breast, 
Although  I  be  unwortliy 

Of  so  divine  a  guest. 

Of  so  divine  a  guest, 

Unworthy  though  I  be, 
Yet  has  my  heart  no  rest, 

Unless  it  comes  from  Thee. 

Unless  it  comes  from  Thee, 

In  vain  I  look  around; 
In  all  that  I  can  see 

No  rest  is  to  be  found. 

No  rest  is  to  be  found 

But  in  thy  blessed  love; 
Oh,  let  my  wish  be  crowned, 

And  send  it  from  above. 

—  John  Hyrom. 


128  ENGLISn  VEKSIFICATION. 


THE    CHANT    nOYAL. 

19.  *•  The  chant  royal,"  says  Mr.  Gosse,  "is  the  final  tour- 
de-force,  the  ne  ])Ihs  ultra  of  leijjitiniate  difficulty  in  the 
construction  of  a  poem.  Henry  de  Croy  derives  the  title  of 
this  form  from  the  fact  that  persons  excelling  in  the  compo- 
sition of  chants  roi/aux  were  worthy  to  be  crowned  with  j,'ar- 
lands  like  conquerors  or  kings.  It  is  a  moot  point  among 
students  whether  tlie  ballade  or  the  chant  royal  be  the  earlier 
and  original  poem.  It  was  always  dedicated  to  more  stately 
and  lieruic  themes  than  the  baUade.  The  chant  royal  was 
reserved  for  the  celebration  of  divine  mysteries,  or  for  the 
exploits  of  some  heroic  race." 

20.  It  is  composed  of  five  stanzas  of  eleven  lines  each,  to 
which  is  added  an  envoi  of  five  lines.  The  final  line  is  the 
same  in  each  of  the  stanzas  and  in  the  envoy.  Only  five 
rhymes  are  used ;  the  order  for  each  stanza  \?,  a  b  a  b  c  c  d  d  e 
d  e,  and  for  the  envoy  d  d  e  d  e.  The  envoy  begins  with  an 
invocation  as  in  the  old  ballades. 

We  close  this  cliaj)ter  with  an  exami)lo  of  the  chant  royal 
composed  by  Mr.  Co.sse: 

TUK   I'HAI.SK   OF   niONYSUS. 

IJcliolil,  altovo  llic  mountains  there  is  light, 
A  slrt'ak  of  p>M,  a  line  of  KatherinR  firo. 
Ami  the  tliiii  Kast  hath  sndilcnly  prown  bright 
Willi  pah-  at'iial  flame,  that  drives  up  liigher 
The  lurid  mists  that,  of  the  night  aware, 
IJreasted  the  dark  ravines  and  coverts  bare, 
liolinld,  beiiohl!  the  granite  gates  unclose, 
And  down  the  vales  a  lyric  people  flows, 
Who  dance  to  mu.sic,  and  in  dancing  fling 
Their  frantic  ro])es  to  every  wind  that  blows, 
And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 


FOREIGN  FORMS  OF  VERSE.  129 

Nearer  they  press,  and  nearer  still  in  sight, 
Slill  dancing  blithely  in  a  seemly  choir; 
Tossing  on  high  the  symbol  of  their  rite, 
The  cone-tipped  thyrsus  of  a  god's  desire. 
Nearer  they  come,  tall  damsels  flushed  and  fair, 
With  ivy  circling  their  abundant  hair, 
Onward,  with  even  pace,  in  stately  rows, 
With  eye  that  flashes  and  with  cheek  that  glows, 
And  all  the  while  their  tribute  songs  they  bring. 
And  newer  glories  of  the  past  disclose. 
And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 

The  pure  luxuriance  of  their  limbs  is  white. 
And  flaslies  clearer  as  they  draw  the  nigher, 
IJathed  in  an  air  of  infinite  delight, 
Smooth  without  wound  of  thorn  or  fleck  of  mire. 
Rome  up  by  song  as  by  a  trumpet's  blare, 
Leading  the  van  to  conquest,  on  they  fare; 
Fearless  and  bold,  whoever  comes  or  goes. 
Those  shining  cohorts  of  Bacchantes  close. 
Shouting  and  shouting  till  the  mountains  ring. 
And  forests  grim  forget  their  ancient  woes. 
And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 

And  youths  are  there  for  whom  full  many  a  night 

Brought  dreams  of  bliss,  vague  dreams  that  haunt  and  tire, 

Who  rose  in  their  own  ecstasy  bedight. 

And  wandered  forth  through  many  a  scourging  brier, 

And  waited  shivering  in  the  icy  air, 

And  wrapped  their  leopard-skins  about  them  there, 

Knowing,  for  all  the  bitter  air  that  froze, 

Tlie  time  must  come,  that  every  poet  knows. 

When  he  shall  rise  and  feel  himself  a  king, 

And  follow,  follow  where  the  ivy  grows. 

And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 

But  oh!  within  the  heart  of  this  great  flight, 
Whose  ivory  arms  hold  up  the  golden  lyre  ? 
Whose  form  is  this  of  more  than  mortal  height? 
What  matchless  beauty!  what  inspired  ire! 


130  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

The  briiulled  panthers  know  the  prize  they  bear, 
And  harmonize  their  steps  with  stately  care; 
Bent  to  the  morning  like  a  living  rose, 
The  immortal  splendor  of  his  face  he  shows, 
And  where  he  glances,  leaf  and  flower  and  wing 
Tremble  with  rapture,  stirred  in  their  repose, 
And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 

Envoy. 

Prince  of  the  flute  and  ivy,  all  thy  foes 
Record  the  bounty  that  thy  grace  bestows, 
But  we,  thy  servants,  to  thy  glory  cling; 
And  with  no  frigiil  lips  our  songs  compose, 
And  deathless  praises  to  the  vine-god  sing. 

—  E.  W.  Uoate. 


COMIC  FORMS.  131 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

COMIC   FORMS. 

1.  It  may  well  be  questioned  whether  any  special  arrange- 
ment of  rhythm,  metre,  or  rhyme  has  an  exclusively  comic 
effect.  For,  in  the  large  majority  of  cases  where  the  humor 
of  a  poem  seems  to  be  partially  dependent  on  the  metrical 
expression,  it  will  be  found  that  the  same  form  has  been  used 
in  poetry  that  is  undeniably  serious. 

2.  Still,  there  are  combinations  which  seem  naturally 
suited  to  express  ideas  of  the  ludicrous,  sometimes  by  a  slight 
modification,  it  may  be,  of  forms  ordinarily  employed  in  more 
dignified  composition ;  just  as  the  comic  strut  is  but  a  burlesque 
of  the  tragic  stride. 

3.  Thus  the  same  rhythm  and  metre  which  are  characteristic 
of  the  ballad,  as  springing  most  directly  from  the  popular 
instinct,  serve  also  as  the  vehicle  of  a  simple  and  rude  humor. 
So  in  Burns's  poem  of  "  John  Barleycorn :  " 

There  was  |  three  kings  |  int6  |  the  Edst,  | 

Three  kings  both  great  and  high; 
And  they  hae  sworn  a  solemn  oath, 

John  Barleycorn  should  die. 

Or,  in  the  "  Society  upon  the  Stanislaus,"  by  Bret  Harte : 

I  reside  at  Table  Mountain,  and  my  name  is  Truthful  James, 
I  am  not  up  to  small  deceit  or  any  sinful  games. 


132  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

4.  This  style  sometimes  breaks  down  into  a  mere  recitative, 
without  much  regard  to  rhythm  or  metre,  as  in  the  well-known 
old  poem  entitled  "  The  Old  and  Young  Courtier :  " 

An  old  song  made  by  an  aged  old  pate, 

Of  an  old  worshipful  gentleman,  who  had  a  great  estate, 

That  kept  a  brave  old  house  at  a  bountiful  rate. 

And  an  old  porter  to  relieve  the  poor  at  his  gate; 

Like  an  old  courtier  of  the  queen's, 

And  the  queen's  old  courtier. 

Or,  "  Our  Village,"  by  Thomas  Hood : 

Oiu"  village,  that's  to  say,  not  Miss  Milford's  village,  but  our  village  of 

Bullock  Smithy, 
Is  couie  into  by  an  avenue  of  trees,  three  oak  pollards,  two  elders,  and  a 

withy. 
And  in  the  middle  there's  a  green,  of  about  not  exceeding  an  acre  and  a 

half; 
It's  common  to  all,  and  fed  off  by  nineteen  cows,  six  ponies,  three  horses, 

five  asses,  two  foals,  seven  pigs,  and  a  calf! 

5.  In  general,  a  greater  freedom  of  rhythm  helps  to  produce 
the  desired  comic  effect,  whether  in  the  overflow  of  syllables, 
or  by  forced  accent,  or  the  running  over  of  unaccented  sylla- 
bles at  the  end,  like  a  fling  of  the  foot  of  the  dancer.  The 
rhythm  is  trochaic  rather  than  iambic,  and  triple  rather  than 
double. 

6.  Thus,  short  trochaic : 

RIDINO   ON  TMK   ItAIL. 

Singing  through  the  forests, 

l{attling  over  ridges. 
Shooting  under  arches, 

Kuinbling  over  bridges. 
Whizzing  thrvugh  the  mountains, 

Ituzziiig  o'er  the  vale. 
Bless  me!  this  is  pleasant, 
Riding  on  the  rail! 

—  J.  (1.  Saxe. 
Or: 

Yankee  Domllo  came  to  town 
On  u  slrip<'d  pony. 


COMIC  FORMS.  133 


7.  Dactylic,  with  anacrusis  : 

There  |  ouce  wis  ft  |  doctor 
(NO  I  foe  to  the  I  proctor,) 
A  I  pliysIc-cOn  I  c6ct6r, 

Whose  I  dose  was  sO  |  pat, 
How  I  evCr  It  |  acted, 
One  I  speech  It  Cx  |  tractgd;  — 
"YGs,  I  yes,"  said  the  |  DdctOr, 
"i  I  m^ant  It  fOr  |  that!" 

—  Hood. 

8.  Trochaic  trimeter : 

Summer's  |  gone  and  |  over! 

Fogs  are  |  falling  |  down; 
And  with  russet  tinges 

Autumn's  doing  brown. 

—  Hood. 
Trochaic  tetrameter : 

Thrash  a  |  way;  you'll  |  hev  to  |  rattle  | 

On  them  kittle  drums  of  yourn ; 
'Taint  a  knowin'  kind  o'  cattle, 

Tliet  is  ketched  with  mouldy  com; 
Put  in  stifif,  you  fifer  feller, 

Let  folks  see  how  spry  you  be;  — 
Guess  you'll  toot  till  you  are  yeller, 

'Fore  you  git  ahold  o'  me. 

—  Lotoell  ■■  Biglow  Papers. 

9.  Dactylic : 

Guvener  B.  is  a  sensible  man ; 

He  stays  to  his  home,  and  looks  artcr  his  folks, 
He  draws  his  furrer  ez  straight  ez  he  can, 
An'  into  nobody's  tater-patch  pokes; 
But  John  P. 
Kobinson  he 
Sez  he  wunt  vote  for  Guvener  B. 

—  Lowell :  Biglow  Papers. 


13^1  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

10.   Anapaestic : 

Miss  Flora  McFlimsey,  of  Madison  Square, 
Has  made  three  separate  journeys  to  Paris, 

And  her  father  assures  me,  each  time  she  was  there, 
That  she  and  her  friend  Mrs.  Harris 


Spent  six  consecutive  weeks  without  stopping, 
In  one  continuous  round  of  shopping. 

-  >r.  A.  DutUr. 

In  his  bed,  bolt  upright, 

In  the  dead  of  the  nii,'lit, 
The  Frencli  Emperor  starts  like  a  ghostl 

Hy  a  dream  lield  in  charm. 

He  uplifts  his  right  arm. 
For  he  dreams  of  reviewing  his  host. 

-  Hood. 

11.   A  semi-huinorous  rhythm  is  frequently  found  in  Irish 
songs,  of  which  tlie  following  is  an  example : 

I've  heard  bells  chiming  full  many  a  clime  in. 

Tolling  sublime  in  cathedral  shrine, 
While,  at  a  glibe  rate,  brass  tongues  would  vibrate, 

Hut  all  their  music  spoke  nouglil  like  thine. 
For  memory  dwelling  on  each  proud  swelling 

Of  thy  belfry,  knelling  its  bold  notes  free. 
Made  the  l)ells  of  Shandon  sound  far  more  grand  on 

The  pleasant  waters  of  the  river  Lee. 

Did  you  hear  of  the  Widow  Malone, 

Ohone! 
Who  lived  in  the  town  of  Athlone, 

Alone! 
Ob,  she  melted  the  Iicarts 
Of  the  swains  in  them  i)arts: 
So  lovely  the  Widow  Malonn, 
Ohone! 
So  lovely  the  Widow  Malone. 

—  C/uirtcs  Liver. 


COMIC   FORMS.  135 

12.  Mr.  Lcanier,  in  liis  "Science  of  Verse,"  calls  attention 
to  a  rhythm  which  "  humorous  verse-makers  in  English  find 
most  to  their  hand."  It  mimics  very  closely  "a  popular 
dance  of  the  negro  minstrels,  preserving  even  the  vigorous 
slam  at  the  end,  where  the  dancer  brings  the  entire  sole  of 
his  foot  down  on  the  board  with  all  the  possible  leverage 
of  his  leg."     He  represents  it  thus : 

«  A  A  A  A 

■7^m0\m0»m\0»»0\»      0  \  0 

i  '•  I'  I '  '•  1/ 1/ 1 1/ '  I'  ^  1 1   r  1 1 

Tick-y      tack-y,    tick-y       tack-y,  tick-y      slam  bam    bam! 

So  in  the  well-known  song  in  the  comic  opera  of  "  Pina- 
fore : " 

I  I  nevCr  thought  Of  |  thinking  fOr  my  |  sdlf  6X  |  dll  |  . 

See  also  "The  Battle  of  Limerick,"  by  Thackeray. 
With  I  rdge  and  imu  |  lation  iu  their  |  black  hearts  |  core.  | 

Mr.  Lanier  cautions  against  the  use  of  this  rhythm  for 
serious  sentiment,  and  criticises  tlie  following  verse,  for 
attempting  so  to  use  it: 

Ah,  the  I  autumn  days  fade  |  out,  and  the  1  nights  grow  |  cliill; 
And  we  |  walk  no  more  to  |  gether  as  we  |  used  of  |  yore, 
When  the  ]  rose  was  new  in  |  blossom,  and  the  |  sun  was  on  the  |  hill, 
And  the  |  eves  were  sweetly  |  vocal  with  the  |  happy  wliip-poor-  |  will, 
And  the  |  land  breeze  piped  its  |  sweetest  by  the  |  ocean  |  shore. 

But,  as  we  have  already  seen,  the  same  rliythms  are  fre- 
quently used  both  for  comic  and  for  pathetic  poetry,  and  in 
the  verse  last  given  the  scheme  marked  by  Mr.  Lanier  is 
essentially  modified.  In  the  first  full  measure  there  is  no 
longer  one  long  syllable  succeeded  by  three  short  ones,  as  in 
I  tack-y  tick-y  |  ,  but  a  long  and  a  short  syllable  alternat- 
ing, making  really  two  trochees,  and  alTocting  sensibly  the 


136  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

character  of  the  rhythm ;  |  autumn  ddys  fiide  |  .  Tlic  three 
long  syllables  at  the  end  of  the  line  are  not  necessarily  comic. 
Certainly,  one  can  hardly  feel  any  incongruity  of  the 
metre  with  the  tender  pathos  of  tlie  sentiment  in  the  little 
poem,  made  on  the  same  scheme,  of  which  we  quote  the  first 
verse  (see  Appendix) : 

The  proper  place  for  coiirtins, 

l'>y  llie  story  book's  reporliiig, 
Is  some  lane  or  iiieadow  pathway  out  of  sight  of  town, 

With  the  sweetness  blowing  over 

From  tlie  fields  of  beans  and  clover, 
And  the  skylark  dropping  westward  as  the  sun  goes  down. 

13.  The  sense  of  the  ludicrous  is  aided  not  only  by  the 
rhythm,  but  also  bij  the  metre,  and  tlie  combination  of  lines, 
and  tlie  use  of  the  rrfniin.  This  is  noticeable  in  tlie  examples 
already  given  in  "The  Widow  Malone,"  by  Charles  Lever, 
and  "Governor  B.,"  by  Lowell.  In  Hood's  poem  of  "Miss 
Kilmansegg  and  her  I'recious  Leg,"  we  find  a  succession  of 
anapestic  lines,  broken  by  shorter  ones  with  feminine  ending: 

To  trace  the  Kilmansegg  pedigree, 
To  the  very  root  of  the  family  tree, 

Win-  a  task  as  rash  as  ridiculous; 
Tlirough  antediluvian  mists  as  thick 
As  London  fog,  such  a  line  to  pick 
Were  enough  in  truth  to  puzzle  Old  Nick, 

Not  to  name  Sir  llarris  Nicholas. 

See  also,  in  the  same  metre,  "  Miss  MacBride,"  by  Jolin  G. 
Saxo. 

14.  A  favorite  form,  which  has  become  appropriated  by  a 
series  of  "Nonsense  Verses,"  may  be  thus  marked  : 

»-»|'l-Hj|'<_>\j|'<_» 


I   '  1-1  w  I   '  »_;  o  J   '  >j 


COMIC  FOKMS.  137 

There  was  a  young  woman  named  Hannah, 
Who  slipped  on  a  piece  of  banana; 

She  cried  out,  "  O  my ! " 

And  more  stars  did  she  spy 
Than  are  seen  in  the  star-spangled  banner! 

A  gentleman  ran  to  assist  her; 

He  picked  up  her  muff  and  her  wrister. 

"  Did  you  fall,  ma'am  ?"  he  cried. 

"Do  you  think,"  she  replied, 
"  I  sat  down  for  the  fun  of  it,  mister  ?  " 

15.   The  ccesiiral  jmuse  and  rhyme  are  sometimes  made  to 
come,  grotesquely,  iu  the  middle  of  a  word : 

Wliene'er  with  haggard  eyes  I  view 
This  dungeon  that  I'm  rotting  iu, 
I  think  of  those  companions  true. 
Who  studied  with  me  at  the  U- 
niversity  of'Gottingen, 
Diversity  of  Gottingen. 

—  George  Canning. 


Also: 


Yankee  lasses  are  the  u- 

nivarsal  airth  bcwitchin'; 
Good  and  true  and  party  tu. 

In  parlor  or  in  kitohin. 

This  is  as  old  as  Horace  : 

Labitur  ripa  Jove  non  probante  u- 
xorius  amnis. 

16.   The  character  of  the  rhymes  has  much  to  do  with  pro- 
ducing a  comic  effect.     They  may  be  odd  and  unexpected : 

"  The  birds  can  fly. 

An'  why  can't  I  ? 

Must  we  give  in," 

Says  he  with  a  grin, 

"That  tlie  blackbird  and  phoebe 

Are  smarter  'n  we  l)e  ?  " 

—  J.   T.  'J'roicbritlye :    Darius  Green. 


138  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 

The  hubs,  of  logs  from  the  "  Settler's  olliim,"  — 
Last  of  its  timber,  —  tliey  couldn't  sell  'em. 

—  Holmes:  The  Deacon's  Masterpiece. 

A  c.ilf  an  alderman,  a  goose  a  justice, 
And  rouks  committee-men  and  trustees. 

—  Butler's  JIudihras. 

Especially,  penultimate  and  antepenultimate : 

Some  such  pious  divine  as 
St.  Thomas  Aquinas. 


Not  to  name  others,  'niongst  whom  are  few  so 
Admired  as  John  Bunyan  and  Kobinson  Crusoe. 


Of  Ilarkhiytz,  —  how  sadly  those  Dutch  names  do  sully  versel 
I'urchas's,  liawkworth's,  or  Lemuel  Gulliver's. 


A  fig  for  their  nonsense  and  chatter!  —  sufTicc  It,  her 
Charms  will  excuse  one  for  casting  sheep's  eyes  at  herl 

When  a  m;iii  has  dcciilod 

As  Captain  M'lJride  did. 
And  once  fully  made  up  his  mind  on  the  matter,  ho 
Can't  be  too  prompt  in  unmasking  his  battery. 

—  Barham  :  Ingoldsby  Legendi. 

O  ye  immortal  gods!  what  is  Iheogony  ? 
O  thou  loo  immortal  man!  what  is  philanthropy? 

0  world  that  was  and  is!  what  is  cosmogony  ? 
Some  people  have  accused  me  of  misanthropy, 

And  yet  I  know  no  more  than  the  mahogany 

That  forms  this  desk,  of  what  they  mean:  lycanthropy 

1  roinprehond;  for,  without  transformation, 

Men  become  wolves  on  any  slight  occasion. 

—  Tti/ron. 

lUit  double  and  triple  rhymes  are  not  nece.ssarily  humorous, 
as  may  ha  .seen  in  Hood's  "  IJridgo  of  Si^'h.s." 


COMIC   FORMS.  139 

17.  The  refrain  is  sometimes  peculiarly  used,  as  in  the 
well-known  "  Echo  Verses :  " 

Now,  Echo,  on  what's  religion  grounded  ? 

Roundliead. 
Who's  its  professor  most  considerable  ? 

Rabble. 

Or: 

Echo!  mysterious  nymph,  declare 
Of  what  you're  made,  and  what  you  are. 

Air! 

But  come,  thou  saucy,  pert  romancer, 
Who  is  as  fair  as  Pha3be  ?    Answer! 

Ann,  sir. 

18.  Finally,  it  comes  within  the  sphere  of  verse  to  mention 
the  Parody,  in  which  a  humorous  result  is  produced  by  the 
imitation  of  the  metre  and  style  of  a  serious  poem,  as  the 
vehicle  of  a  light  and  trivial  sentiment.  See  "The  Rejected 
Addresses,"  by  Horace  and  James  Smith,  and  "Eolopoesis, 
or  American  Rejected  Addresses."  Also,  as  independent  of 
any  considerations  of  rhythm  or  metre,  a  source  of  humorous 
verse  is  found  in  the  use  of  various  dialects ;  as  in  the  well- 
known  "  Hans  Breitmann  Ballads,"  by  Charles  G.  Leland. 


APPENDIX. 


DEFINITIONS    OF    TERMS. 

Acrostic.  —  A  composition,  usually  in  verse,  in  which 
certain  letters  in  the  various  lines,  taken  successively,  spell 
a  word  or  words,  forming  a  name  or  sentence.  Usually, 
the  first  letter  of  each  line  is  taken;  sometimes  the  first 
letter  of  the  first  line,  the  second  letter  of  the  second  line, 
and  so  on.     See  examples  on  page  145. 

Antipiione.  —  The  response  which  one  side  of  the  choir 
makes  to  the  other  in  a  chant.  This  is  the  most  ancient  form 
of  church  music.     See  page  146. 

Antistrophe.  —  That  part  of  a  song  or  dance  around  the 
altar  which  was  performed  while  turning  from  the  left  to 
the  right.  It  was  preceded  by  the  strophe,  and  followed  by 
the  epode. 

Bouts  Rimes. — Rhymed  endings.  An  exercise  in  verse, 
in  which  the  rhyming  words  are  given,  to  be  filled  out  into 
lines,  at  the  will  of  the  writer. 

Cantata.  —  A  musical  composition  comprising  solos  and 
choruses,  arranged  in  a  somewhat  dramatic  manner. 

Canto.  —  The  most  comprehensive  division  of  a  poem ;  as  in 
The  Lady  of  the  Lake. 

Cento.  —  A  composition  formed  of  lines  or  passages  from 
different  authors  arranged  so  as  to  be  read  connectedly  ;  a  sort 
of  literary  patchwork.     See  i)age  147. 

141 


142  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

Dramatic  Poetry.  —  A  form  of  ppetry  in  which  human 
action,  instead  of  being  narrated,  as  in  epic  poetry,  is  exliib- 
ited  in  the  persons  of  those  concerned.  It  is  made  up  of  the 
speeches  of  those  engaged  in  it. 

The  old  rules  required  that  there  should  be  unity  of  action, 
unity  of  time,  and  rtnity  of  place.  These  were  called  the  three 
unities.     The  last  of  these  is  now  practically  disregarded. 

The  two  principal  forms  of  dramatic  poetry  are  trayedy  and 
comedy.  A  tragedy  represents  some  signal  action  performed 
by  illustrious  persons,  and  generally  having  a  fatal  issue.  In 
comedy,  the  complication  has  a  cheerful  issue,  and  the  tone 
is  light  and  humorous.  A  farce  is  a  comedy  of  the  broadest 
form  of  humor.  A  melodrama  is  characterized  by  exaggerated 
effects  in  sentiment  or  situation. 

Eclogue.  —  A  pastoral  poem,  in  which  two  or  more  shep- 
herds are  introduced,  as  conversing  with  each  other.  An 
example,  in  English,  is  Spenser's  "  Shepheard's  Calender." 

Elegv.  —  This  term  is  usually  employed,  in  English,  to 
designate  a  plaintive  poem,  as  "  Gray's  Elegy." 

Elegiac,  in  classic  usage,  had  reference  to  the  metre,  which, 
as  has  already  been  shown,  was  written  in  alternate  dactylic 
hexameter  and  pentameter. 

Epic  Poetry.  —  An  epic  poem  narrates,  usually  at  consid- 
erable length,  the  adventures  of  heroes  and  illustrious  per- 
sons, as  based  on  old  legends  or  traditions.  It  includes 
descriptions  of  nature,  as  well  as  narrative  of  events.  Its 
metre  is  simple  and  uniform.  Episodes  are  frequently  intro- 
duced. Ilei)ctition  of  passages  occurs,  especially  in  the  re- 
l)orting  of  messages,  which  are  often  given  in  tlie  exact  words 
of  the  sender.  Milton's  "Paradise  Lost"  is  an  example  in 
English. 


APrENDIX.  143 

Epigram,  —  Originally,  an  inscription  on  a  tomb.  Now- 
applied  to  a  brief  form  of  expression,  usually  in  verse,  in 
which  a  truth  or  sentiment  is  uttered  in  a  lively  and  ingenious 
manner.  Example  (written  on  a  glass  with  a  diamond  pencil 
belonging  to  Lord  Stanhope)  : 

Accept  a  miracle  in  place  of  wit: 

See  two  dull  lines  by  Stanhope's  pencil  writ. 

Epilogue.  —  A  speech  or  short  poem  addressed  to  the  spec- 
tators, by  one  of  the  actors,  after  the  conclusion  of  a  play. 

Epithalamium.  —  A  nuptial  song  or  poem,  in  praise  of  the 
bride  and  bridegroom,  and  praying  for  their  prosperity. 

Epode.  —  That  part  of  a  song  or  dance  which  was  performed 
before  the  altar ;  as  the  conclusion  of  an  ode.  It  is  also  a 
species  of  lyric  poem  in  which  a  longer  line  is  followed  by 
a  shorter  one ;  as  the  "  Epodes  "  of  Horace. 

Hovering  Accent.  —  Division  of  stress  between  the  word- 
accent  and  the  verse-accent ;  as 

And  Ry  |  pheus  |  that  met  |  us  b^  |  moonlight. 

—  Surrey. 

Idyl.  —  Originally,  a  short  pastoral  poem.  It  is  now 
applied,  rather  vaguely,  to  a  short,  simple  poem,  more  descrip- 
tive than  narrative.  The  so-called  "Idyls  of  the  King,"  by 
Tennyson,  are  more  properly  epic  than  idyllic. 

Lampoon.  —  A  personal  satire,  often  in  verse. 

Lyric  Pop:try.  —  This  differs  from  epic  or  dramatic  poetry 
in  the  fact  that  it  usually  expresses  the  individual  emotions 
of  the  poet.  It  naturally  takes  a  form  fitted  to  be  sung,  but 
is  found  in  a  wide  variety  of  metres. 

Madrigal.  —  A  brief  love  poem,  not  so  subtle  as  an  epi- 
gram, nor  so  regular  as  a  sonnet,  containing  some  simple  and 
tender  thought. 


144  ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 

Oi'KUA.  —  A  musical  drama,  consisting  of  airs,  choruses, 
and  recitations,  and  representing  some  passionate  action. 

Oratorio.  —  A  sacred  composition,  consisting  of  airs,  reci- 
tatives, duets,  trios,  choruses.  Its  subject  is  usually  taken 
from  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

Palinode.  —  Literally,  a  song  repeated,  or  taken  back. 
A  satirical  poem,  retracting  or  apologizing  for  what  was  said 
in  a  fornaer  one.     See  page  150. 

I'AKonv. — A  writing,  usually  in  verse,  in  which  the  metre 
and  style  of  an  author  are  clo§ely  imitated,  while  the  subject 
matter  is  changed  into  something  humorous.  E.xample : 
"  Rejected  Addresses,"  by  Horace  and  James  Smith.  Also, 
"  Eolopoesis,  or  American  Rejected  Addresses." 

Pasquinade.  — Another  name  for  lampoon. 

Prologue. — A  short  poem  spoken  before  a  dramatic  per- 
formance. 

I'.sALM.  —  A  sacred  song  used  in  worship.  Originally 
applied  to  those  in  the  Bible,  used  in  the  Jewish  Temple. 

Strophe. — That  part  of  a  song  or  dance  which  was  per- 
formed while  turning  from  the  right  to  the  left,  around  the 
altar.     It  Wius  succeeded  by  the  antistroj)he  and  the  epode. 

Travestv.  —  A  burlesque  translation  or  imitation  of  a  work. 
Exainple:  the  travesties  of  mythological  legends,  by  J.  G. 
Saxe. 

Vers  i>e  Soci£t/:.  —  Light  poems,  playfully  dealing  with 
themes  of  fashionable  life. 

Wrexchkd  AcrKNT.  — This  term  is  used  when  the  metrical 
stress  is  thrown  upon  a  syllable  which  would  not  ordinarily 
be  acc6ntcd. 

Sir  I'al  I  ri(*k  Spt'iis  |  is  llic  bcsl  |  sailur  | 
Tliat  over  Hailol  Iho  si-a. 


APPENDIX.  145 


ACKOSTICS. 

In  this  example,  the  first  letters  of  the  line,  read  in  order, 
form  the  name  of  tlie  subject  : 

Friendship,  tliou'rt  false!    I  hate  thy  flattering  smile! 

Return  to  uie  those  years  I  spent  in  vain. 

In  early  youth  the  victim  of  thy  guile, 

Each  joy  took  wing  ne'er  to  return  again,  — 

Ne'er  to  return;  for,  chilled  hy  hopes  deceived, 

Dully  the  slow-paced  liours  now  move  along; 

So  changed  the  times  when  thoughtless  I  helieved 

Iler  honeyed  words,  and  heard  lier  siren  song. 

If  e'er,  as  me,  she  lure  some  youth  to  stray. 

Perhaps,  before  too  late,  he'll  listen  to  my  lay. 

In  the  next,  read  the  first  letter  of  the  first  line  in  connec- 
tion with  the  second  letter  of  the  second  line,  the  third  letter 
of  the  third  line,  and  so  on  to  the  end. 

A  VALENTINK. 

For  her  this  line  is  penned  whose  luminous  eyes, 

Brightly  expressive  as  the  twins  of  Lceda, 
Shall  find  her  own  sweet  name,  that,  nestling,  lies 

Upon  the  page,  enwrapped  from  every  reader. 
Search  narrowly  the  lines  !  —  they  hold  a  treasure 

Divine,  — a  talisman,  — an  amulet 
Tliat  must  be  worn  at  heart.     Search  well  the  measure, 

The  words,  the  syllables!     Do  not  forget 
The  trivialest  point,  or  you  may  lose  your  labor  1 

And  yet  there  is  in  this  no  Gordian  knot, 
Which  one  might  not  undo  without  a  sabre, 

If  one  could  merely  comprehend  the  plot. 
Enwritten  upon  the  leaf  where  now  are  peering 

Eyes  scintillating  soul,  there  lie  pcnhis, 
Tliree  eloquent  words  oft  uttered  in  the  hearing 

Of  poets,  by  poets,  —  as  the  name  is  a  poet's  too. 
'  Its  letters  although  naturally  lying 

Like  the  knight  Pinto  —  Mendez  Ferdinando, 
Still  form  a  synonym  for  Truth.     Cease  trying! 

You  will  not  rvad  the  riddle  lliough  you  do  the  best  yon  con  do. 

—  E.  A.  I'oe. 


110  ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


ALLITERATION. 

An  Austrian  army,  awfully  arrayed, 

Boldly  by  battery  besieged  Belgrade. 

Cossack  commanders  cannonading  come, 

Dealing  destruction's  devastating  doom. 

Every  endeavor  engineers  essay, 

For  fame,  for  fortune  fighting,  — furious  fray! 

Generals  'gainst  generals  grapple,  —  gracious  God  I 

How  honors  Heaven  heroic  hardihood! 

Infuriate,  indiscriminate  in  ill, 

Kindred  kill  kinsmen,  kinsmtMi  kindred  kill. 

Labor  low  levels  loftiest,  longest  lines; 

Men  march  'mid  mounds,  'mid  moles,  'mid  murderous  mines; 

Now  noisy  noxious  numbers  notice  nought 

Of  outward  obstacles,  opposing  ought; 

Poor  patriots,  partly  purchased,  partly  pressed, 

Quite  quaking,  quickly  "Quarter!  Quarter!"  quest. 

Reason  returns,  religious  rite  redounds, 

Suwarrow  stops  such  sanguinary  sounds. 

Truce  to  the  Turk!    Triumph  to  thy  tnun, 

Unjust,  unwise,  uumerciful  Ukraine! 

Vanish,  vain  victory!  vanish  victory  vain! 

Why  wish  we  warfare?    Wherefore  welcome  war? 

Xerxes,  Ximenes,  Xanthus,  Xavier? 

Yield,  yield,  ye  youths!  ye  yeomen,  yield  your  yell! 

Zcno's,  Zarpater's,  Zoroaster's  zeal, 

And  all,  attracting,  against  arms  appeal, 

—  Anonymous. 

A  NT  I  PHONE. 

CIIOIUS. 

Let  all  the  world  In  every  corner  sing, 
My  God  and  King. 

VKU8K. 

The  heavens  are  not  ton  high. 
His  praise  may  thither  Hie: 
Tin-  tarth  is  not  loo  low, 
His  praises  there  may  grow. 


APrENDIX.  147 


CHORUS. 


Let  all  the  world  in  every  corner  sing, 
My  God  and  King. 

VERSE. 

The  church  with  psalms  must  shout, 
No  door  can  keep  them  out: 
But  above  all,  the  heart 
Must  bear  the  longest  part. 

cnoRus. 

Let  all  the  world  in  every  corner  sing, 
My  God  and  King. 

—  George  Herbert. 

CENTO    VERSE. 

One  kiss,  dear  maid,  I  said  and  sighed,  —  Coleridge. 

Out  of  those  lips  unshorn ;  —Longfellow. 

She  shook  her  ringlets  round  her  head,  —Stoddard. 

And  laughed  in  merry  scorn.  —  Tennyson. 

The  laughing  bridal  roses  blow,  —  Patmore. 

To  dress  her  dark-brown  hair;  —Bayard  Taylor. 

My  heart  is  breaking  \vilh  my  woe,  —Tennyson. 

Most  beautiful!  most  rare!  -Head. 

I  shut  it  inside  the  sweet,  cold  hand,  —  lirowning. 

The  precious  golden  link  !  —  Smith. 

I  calmed  her  fears,  and  she  was  calm;  —  Coleridge. 

"Drink,  pretty  creature,  drink."  —  Wordsworth. 

And  so  I  won  my  Genevieve,  —Coleridge. 

And  walked  in  Paradise;  -Uervey. 

The  fairest  thing  that  ever  grew  —Wordsworth. 

Atween  me  and  the  skies.  —  Osgood. 

—  From  Bryant's  Library  of  Poetry  awl  Song  : 
Fords,  Howard,  dc  Hulbcrt,  IsSO. 


14i>  ENGLI.S1I    VEILSIFICATION. 


COURTING    IN    THE    CITY. 

The  proper  place  for  courting, 

By  the  story  book's  reporting, 
Is  some  lane  or  meadow  pathway,  out  of  sight  of  town ; 

AVith  tlic  sweetness  blowing  over 

From  the  fiekls  of  beans  ami  clover, 
Ami  the  skylark  dropping  westward  as  the  sun  goes  down. 

But  I've  met  my  little  Sally 

At  the  month  of  Dawson's  Alley, 
And  we've  walked  along  together  toward  the  Dome  of  Paul's; 

'Mid  the  jostling  crowd  that  passes 

'Neath  the  flaring  lamps  and  gases, 
And  the  shouting  of  the  drivers,  and  the  newsboys'  calls. 

And  tlie  lily  of  the  valley 

That  I  gave  my  little  Ijally, 
Was  the  faded  penny  bouquet  that  a  flower-girl  sells: 

She  has  never  seen  one  growing, 

As  it's  easy  to  be  showing, 
For  its  birthplace  is  the  Dreamland  that's  beyond  Bow  Bells. 

Oh!  It  pains  me  in  our  walking  — 

All  the  oaths  and  shameful  talking, 
And  the  folks  that  brush  her  passing,  and  th(!  glances  bold! 

But  though  evil  things  may  touch  her. 

They  can  never  hurt  or  smutch  her, 
For  she  turns  tlic  dirt  to  sweetness  as  a  lluwer  the  mould. 

Nay;  it's  not  In  country  places, 

'Mid  the  fields  and  simple  faces, 
Out  of  sight  and  sound  of  evil,  that  a  pure  heart  grows; 

It  is  ht!re  in  London  city. 

In  the  sin  and  &hame  ami  pity; 
For  the  pure  heart  draws  its  pureness  from  the  wrong  It  knows. 

When  my  Sally's  sweetness  found  me, 

I  was  like  the  mun  around  me; 
I  was  coarse  and  low  and  selflsli  as  the  beast  that  dies; 

But  licr  grace  began  to  win  me, 

And  my  heart  was  changed  within  me, 
Anil  I  learned  to  pray  from  gazing  In  my  darling's  eyes. 

—  Anonjimnut. 


ArrENDix.  141) 


A    PASTORAL. 

I  sat  with  Doris,  the  shepherd  maiden  ; 

Ilor  crook  was  laden  witli  wreathed  dowers; 
I  sat  and  loooed  her,  through  sunlight  wheeling, 

And  shadows  stealing,  for  hours  and  hours. 

And  she,  my  Doris,  whose  lap  encloaes 
Wild  summer  roses  of  faint  perfume, 

The  while  I  sued  her,  kept  hushed  and  harkened, 
Till  shades  had  darkened  from  gloss  to  gloom. 

She  touched  my  shoulder  with  fearful  ^njjrer; 

She  said,  "  We  linger;  we  must  not  stay; 
My  flock's  in  danger,  my  sheep  will  loander; 

Behold  them  yonder,  —  how  far  they  stray." 

I  answered,  holder,  "  Nay,  let  me  hear  you. 
And  still  he  near  you,  and  still  adore; 

No  wolf  nor  stranger  will  touch  one  yearling; 
Ah!  stay,  my  darling,  a  moment  more." 

She  whispered,  sighing,  "There  will  be  sorroio, 
Beyond  to-morrow,  if  I  lose  to-day; 

My  fold  unguarded,  my  flock  unfolded, 
I  shall  be  scolded  and  sent  away." 

Said  I  replying,  "  If  they  do  miss  you, 

They  ought  to  kiss  you,  when  you  get  home; 

And  well  rewarded,  by  friend  and  neighbor, 
Should  be  the  labor  from  which  you  come." 

"  They  might  remember,"  she  answered  meekly, 
"That  lambs  are  weakly,  and  sheep  are  wild; 

But  if  they  love  me,  it's  none  so  fervent; 
I  am  a  servant,  and  not  a  child." 

Then  each  hot  ember  glowed  quick  irilhin  me, 
And  love  did  loin  me  to  swift  reply; 

"  Ah!  do  but  prove  me,  and  none  shall  blind  you. 
Nor  fray  nor  find  yon,  until  I  die." 


l."»0  EXr.MSII   VERSIFICATION. 

She  bluslied  and  started,  and  stood  (iwaiting, 

As  if  dehatiiKj,  in  dreams  divine; 
But  I  did  hrate  them,  I  told  her  plainly, 

"  She  doubted  tainli/,  she  uiiist  be  mine." 

So  wo  twin-hearted,  from  all  the  valley 

Did  rouse  and  rally  her  nibbling  ewes; 
Anil  liomeward  drute  them,  we  two  tofjcther. 

Through  blooming  heather  and  gleaming  dews. 

That  simple  duty  such  grace  did  lend  her, 

My  Doris  tender,  my  Doris  true, 
That  I,  lior  warder,  diil  always  bless  her. 

And  often  j^ress  her  to  take  her  due. 

And  now  in  beauty  she  fills  my  dwellin(f, 

With  love  excelliwi  and  undejlled  ; 

And  love  doth  yunrd  her,  both  fast  a\v\  fervent. 

No  more  a  servant,  nor  yet  a  chiltl. 

—  A.  J.  Muiihij. 

In  the  forefToing  poem,  the  rhymes  occur  as  follows  :  the  end 
of  the  second  line  with  the  end  of  the  fourth  line,  in  qux'\\ 
stanza;  the  end  of  the  first  line  with  the  juiddle  of  the  sec- 
ond, and  the  end  of  the  third  with  tlie  middle  of  the  fourth, 
in  each  stanza;  the  middle  of  the  first  line  in  the  first  stanza 
with  the  middle  of  the  first  line  in  the  second  stanza,  and  the 
miildle  of  the  third  line  of  the  first  stanza  with  the  middle  of 
the  third  line  of  the  second  stanza,  and  so  on. 

!•  A  I>  I  N  <>  I)  K    {rcrmiUitiou). 

"  Who  is  Lydia,  pray,  and  who 
Is  Ilypatia  ?"     Softly,  dear; 
Let  mc  breathe  it  in  your  ear: 
They  are  you,  and  only  you, 
"  And  those  other  nameless  two 
Walking  in  Arcadian  air  — 
She  that  was  so  very  fair  ? 
She  that  had  the  twilight  hair?" 
They  were  you,  dear,  only  yau. 


APl'ENDIX.  151 

If  I  speak  of  night  or  day, 
Grace  of  fcni  or  bloom  of  grape, 
Hanging  cloud  or  fountain  spray, 
Gem  or  star  or  glistening  dew, 
Or  of  mythologic  shape, 
Psyche,  Pyrrha,  Daphne,  say^ — 
I  mean  you,  dear,  you,  just  you. 

—  T.  D.  Aldrich. 

POEMS    WITHIN     POEMS. 

It  has  been  a  favorite  custom  with  poets  to  introduce  shorter 
poems  within  longer  ones,  or  to  combine  several  into  one 
whole.  Examples  of  the  former  are  the  numerous  songs  and 
ditties  interspersed  in  the  plays  of  Shakespeare,  and  the  shorter 
lyrics  occurring  within  the  idyls  of  Tennyson.  Of  the  latter, 
we  may  mention  the  "  Canterbury  Tales,"  of  Chaucer ;  "  The 
Temple,"  by  George  Herbert ;  "  The  Wayside  Inn,"  by  Long- 
fellow ;  and  Whittier's  "  Snow  Bound." 

QUEER     DEVICES     IN    VERSE. 

Poems  have  sometimes  been  written  and  printed  to  take 
the  shape  of  the  object  they  describe.  Thus,  "  The  Altar,"  by 
George  Herbert. 

A  broken  altar.  Lord,  thy  servant  reares, 
Made  of  a  heart  and  cemented  witli  teares; 
Wiiose  parts  are  as  thy  hand  did  frame; 
No  workman's  tool  hath  touched  the  same. 

A      heart     alone 

Is    such    a    stone 

As    n  oth  ing    but 

Thy  pow'r  doth  cut. 

Wherefore  each  part 

Of     my    hard    heart 

Meets   in  this  frame. 

To  praise  thy  Tiame: 
That    if     I    chance    to    hoM    my    peace, 
These  stones  to  praise  thee  may  not  cease. 
Oh,    let    thy    blessed    sacrifice    be    mine, 
And     sanctifit'.    this    altar    to     l)i'    thine. 


152  ENGLISH    VEi:i51FKATlUN. 

Also  "  Easter  Wings,"  by  the  same  author : 

Lord,  who  crealcdst  man  in  wealth  and  store, 
Though  foolishly  he  lost  the  same, 
Decaying     more     and    more. 
Till     he     hecame 
Most     poor: 
With  thee 
O  let    me    rise, 
As  larks  harmoniously. 
And    sing    this   day   thy   victories: 
Then  shall  the  fall  further  the  llight  in  me. 

My    tender    age    in    sorrow    did    bcginne, 
And  still  with  sicknesses  and  shame, 
Tliou  didst  so  punish  siune, 
That     I     became 
Most  thiune. 
With     thee 
Let   me   combine, 
And  fed  this  day  thy  victorie. 
For   if   I    imp   «uy    wing   on    tliiiie, 
AUliction  shall  advance  the    Iliglit    in    me. 

VIKKLAI     NOrVKAlI. 

Gooil-bye  to  Ihe  Town!  good-bye! 
Hurrah!  for  the  sea  and  the  sky! 

In  the  street  the  flower-girls  cry; 
In  the  street  the  water-carts  ply; 
And  a  lluter,  with  features  awry, 
riays  fitfully,  "Scots,  wha  hae"  — 
And  Ihe  throat  of  that  lluter  is  dry; 
C;ood-bye  to  the  T«)wnl  good-bye! 

Anil  over  the  roof-tops  nigh 

Comes  a  waft  like  a  «lream  of  the  M.iy; 

And  ft  lady-bird  lit  on  my  lie; 

And  a  cockchafer  came  with  Ihe  tray; 


APPENDIX.  li^^ 

And  a  butterfly  (no  one  knows  why) 
Mistook  my  Aunt's  cap  for  a  spray; 
And  "  next  door"  and  "over  the  way" 
The  neighbors  take  wing  and  fly : 
Hurrah  for  the  sea  and  the  sky ! 

To  Buxton,  the  waters  to  try, 

To  Buxton  goes  old  Mrs.  Bligh; 

And  the  Captain  to  Iloniburg  and  play 

Will  carry  his  cane  ami  his  eye; 

And  even  Miss  Morgan  Lefay 

Is  flitting— to  far  Peckhaiu  Rye; 

And  my  Grocer  has  gone  —  in  a  "  Shay," 

And  my  Tailor  has  gone  — hi  a  "  Fly." 

Good-bye  to  the  Town!  good-bye! 

And  it's  O  for  the  sea  and  the  sky! 
And  it's  O  for  the  boat  and  the  bay! 
For  the  white  foam  whirling  by, 
And  the  sharp,  salt  edge  of  the  spray! 
For  the  wharf  where  the  black  nets  fry, 
And  the  wrack  and  the  oar-weed  sway ! 
For  the  stroll  when  the  moon  is  high 
To  the  nook  by  the  Flag-house  gray ! 
For  the  risus  ab  anyulo  shy 
From  the  Some-one  we  designate  "Di!" 
For  the  moment  of  silence,  —  the  sigh! 
"How  I  dote  on  a  moon!"     "So  do  I!" 
For  the  token  we  snatch  on  the  sly 
(With  nobody  there  to  say  Fie!) 
Hurrah!  for  the  sea  and  the  sky! 

So  Phillis,  the  fawn-footed,  hie 
For  a  liansora.     Ere  close  of  the  day 
Between  us  a  "  world"  must  lie; 
Good-bye  to  the  town!    Good-uye! 
Hurrah!  for  thu  sea  and  the  sky! 

—  Austin  Dobson. 


ir>4  ENCiLlSlI    Vi:i:SIFlCATlUX. 


BALLADE. 

Mr.  Gosse  quotes  the  following  "as  an  excellent  type  of  all 
that  a  ballade  should  be  :  " 

IIAM.ADK   OF   DKKAMLAND. 

I  hill  my  lioart  in  a  nest  of  roses, 

Out  of  tlie  sun's  way,  liidilen  apart; 
In  a  softer  bed  than  tlie  soft  while  snow's  is, 

Under  the  roses  I  hid  my  heart. 

Wliy  sliould  it  sleep  not  ?     Why  shouM  it  start 
Wlien  never  a  leaf  of  the  rose-tree  stirred  ? 

What  made  sleep  flutter  his  wings  and  part'? 
Only  the  song  of  a  secret  bird. 

Lie  still,  I  said,  for  the  wind's  wing  closes, 

And  mild  leaves  mullle  the  keen  sun's  dart; 
Lie  still,  for  the  wind  on  the  warm  sea  dozes, 

Ami  the  wind  is  unquiettr  still  than  thou  art. 

Doth  a  thought  in  thee  still  as  a  thorn's  wound  smart? 
Does  the  pang  still  fret  thee  of  hope  deferred  ? 

What  bids  the  lids  of  thy  sleep  dispart'? 
Only  the  soug  of  a  secret  bird. 

The  green  land's  name  that  a  charm  encloses. 

It  never  was  writ  in  the  traveller's  chart; 
And  sweet  as  the  fruit  on  its  tree  that  grows  is, 

It  never  was  sold  in  the  merchant's  mart. 

The  swallows  of  dreams  through  its  dim  (ields  dart, 
And  sleeps  are  the  tunes  in  its  tree-tops  heard; 

No  hound's  note  wakens  the  wild-wood  hart, 
Only  the  song  of  a  secret  bird. 

Envoy. 

In  the  world  of  dreams  I  have  chosen  my  part. 

To  sleep  for  a  season  ami  liear  no  word 

Of  trtu;  love's  trutii  or  of  light  love's  art. 

Only  the  song  of  a  secret  bird. 

—  SiciiiOurne. 


APPENDIX.  155 


VILLANJELLE. 

Wouklst  tlioii  not  be  content  to  die, 

When  low-hung  fruit  is  hardly  clinging, 
And  golden  Autumn  passes  by  ? 

If  we  could  vanish,  thou  and  I, 

While  the  last  woodland  bird  is  singing, 
Wouldst  thou  not  be  content  to  die  ? 

Deep  drifts  of  leaves  in  the  forest  lie. 

Red  vintage  that  the  frost  is  flinging, 
And  golden  Autumn  passes  by. 

Beneath  this  delicate  rose-gray  sky, 

While  sunset  bells  are  faintly  ringing, 
Wouldst  thou  not  be  content  to  die  ? 

For  wintry  webs  of  mist  on  high, 

Out  of  the  muflled  earth  are  springing, 
And  golden  Autumn  passes  by. 

O  now  when  pleasures  fade  and  fly, 

And  Hope  her  southward  flight  is  winging, 
Wouldst  thou  not  be  content  to  die  ? 

Lest  Winter  come,  with  wailing  cry. 

His  cruel  icy  bondage  bringing, 
When  golden  Autumn  hath  passed  by, 

And  thou,  with  many  a  tear  and  sigli. 

While  Life  her  wasted  hands  is  wringing, 
Shalt  pray  in  vain  for  leave  to  die, 
When  golden  Autumn  hath  passed  by. 

—  E.  W.  Gosse. 


15G  E\(;LIt>II    VEKSIFICATION. 

Examples  of  stanzas  of  unusual  length  arc  the  following: 

Ten  line  :  The  Primrose.  —  Donne. 

Eleven  line  :  The  Ita\  en.  —  Pue. 

Twelve  line  :  A  Word  for  the  Nation.  —  Sicinburnc. 

Thirteen  line  :  Fly  not  yet.  —  Moore. 

Sixteen  line  :  Ode  to  Winter.  —  Campbell. 

Twenty-four  line  :  The  Last  Oracle.  —  Swinbnrnc. 

Tail-Riivmk  Stanza.  —  A  .stanza  of  whicli  tlie  rliynie-order 
is  a  a  b  c  c  b.  Tlie  b  b  is  tlie  tail-rliyme,  and  the  lines  contain- 
ing it  are  usually,  but  not  always,  shorter  than  the  others. 
There  may  be  more  tlian  two  lines  of  each  of  the  sections  a  a 
and  bb;  and  the  lines  may  lu*  written  in  a  {,'reat  variety  of 
forms  of  rhythm  and  metre.  I'.ut  the  typical  form,  according 
to  Schipper,  consists  of  six  lines, —  namely,  four  cliief  lines  of 
four  feet,  and  two  tail-riiyme  lines  of  three  feet.  He  gives  the 
following  example : 

Those  lyric  pieces,  short  and  few, 
Most  worthy  Sir,  1  send  to  you  ; 

To  read  them  he  not  weary  ; 
Thoy  may  hecome  John  llewcs  his  lyre. 
Which  oft  at  I'owlsworlh  hy  the  (ire 

llath  made  us  {gravely  merry. 

—  Drill/ton, 


INDEX   OF   SUBJECTS. 


Note.  — The  numerals  refer  to  pages.    The  letter/after  a  miinerul  signilies  that 
the  subject  is  contiuued  ou  the  iblluwiug  pages. 


ACCKNT,  1,  6,  08,  101. 

—  hovering,  14."{. 

—  wrenched,  144. 
Acrostic,  141,  145. 
Acrostical  Valentine,  119,  145. 
Alcaics,  112/. 

Alexandrine,  14,  38,  39,  80,  S3,  88, 

98,  102. 
Alliteration,  3,  4,  51,  80,  81,  140. 

—  disguised,  54. 
Amphibrach,  9,  10,  16,  21. 
Aniphiinacer,  9,  10,  21. 
Anacrusis,  20,  133. 
Anaptest,  9,  20,  74,  90. 
Anai)testic,  10,  17,  36,  134. 

—  nionoiucter,  16. 

—  dimeter,  16. 

—  trimeter,  10. 

—  tetrameter,  16,  80. 

—  pentameter,  17. 

—  hexameter,  17. 

—  heptameler,  17. 
Anglo-Saxon,  51,  52,  79. 
Antiplione,  141,  146. 
Antistrophe,  42,  141. 
Assonance,  4,  45,  48. 

Hall  AD,  84. 
Ballade,  110/.,  154. 
Blank  Verso,  43,  81,  80/. 
Bouts  Rimes.  141. 

C^suRAL  Pause,  71,  89,  92,  103, 

1.37. 
Caesura  of  the  Foot,  28. 
Coesina  of  the  Line,  28. 
Cantata,  141. 


157 


Canto,  141. 
Catch,  26. 

Cento  Verse,  141,  147. 
Chain  Verse,  127. 
Chant  Royal,  128. 
Chief  Letter,  .52. 
Choiianibic,  114. 
Choriambus,  U,  10,  17,  90. 
Classical  Metres,  105/. 
Comedy,  142. 
Comic  Foinis,  131/. 
Common  Metre,  34. 
Couplet,  33,  46,  81. 

Dactyl,  9,  10,  20,  91. 
Dactylic,  17,  133. 

—  monomeler,  17. 

—  dimeter,- 17,  80. 

—  trimeter,  17. 

—  tetrameter,  18. 

—  pentameter,  18. 

—  hexameter,  18,  106/. 
Dimeter,  12. 

Double  Rhythm,  9. 
Dramatic  Poetry,  142. 

Echo  Verses,  139. 

P:<'l()gue,  142. 

Eights  and  Sevens,  35. 

Eights,  Sevens,  ami  Four,  35. 

Elegiac,  108/.,  142. 

Elegy,  142. 

Elevens,  36. 

Elision,  22,  99. 

Emphasis,  1,  2,  7,  08,  70,  75,  76. 

Enclitics,  7. 

Endings,  Feminine,  74,  92,  08,  102. 


158 


i:\(;lisii  vkiisikkation. 


Endings,  light,  92,  102. 

—  weak,  92,  102. 
Kii.l-ihymc,  4.  4.3,51,80,  81. 
Kml-stupped  Linos,  ;]1,  92,  102. 
Kn;,'lisli  Heroic  Blank  Verse,  8G/. 
Envoy,  110,  1:J0. 

Ej>ic  roelry,  142. 
Epigram,  143. 
Ei'iloi^uc,  143. 
Epitli:ilaniitun,  143. 
Epode,  42,  143. 
Exjiansions,  W. 

Extia-rhvilinucal   Syllables,  20,  98, 
i02. 

Fakcf.,  142. 

Fci't,  kinds  of.  101. 

F.-miiiinu  Endings,  74,  92.  98,  1(I2. 

Foot,  8. 

Foreign  Forms,  115/. 

Forms,  79. 

Foiir-fool  Lines,  98. 

(iAI.I.IA.MItir,   114. 

IlAi.i.Kr.LMAii  Mktisk,  3C. 
I  Icndecasyllabics,  1 10/. 
Heplameter,  12. 
H.-roic  Verse,  13,  81,  86/. 
Hcxanioter,  12. 
llov.Ting  Acpent,  14.3. 
Hymn  .Metres,  34. 

Iamiuc,  13,  14,  20,  23,  34,  35,  30. 

—  Mionomeier,  12. 

—  dimeter,   13,  97. 

—  trimet<!r,  13. 

—  letrameter,  13,  85,  97. 

—  pentameter,  12,  13,  80,  80/ 

—  iiexametcr,  14. 

—  heptameter,  14. 
Iambus,  9,  10,  20,  74. 
Idvl,  143. 

Indent,  .34. 

Irish  Uhytlim,  i:il. 

Kixo  IIoKX,  82. 
Kyrielie,  120. 

Lami'oon,  143. 

Li:,'lil  Endings,  92,  102. 

Line,  4. 


Long  Chaucerian,  39. 
Long  Metre,  35. 
Long  Syllables,  59. 
Lyric  I'oetry,  84,  143. 

MAnniOAi,,  143. 
.Melodrama,  142. 
Metre,  3,  4,  12/,  33/ 
Monometer,  12. 

XoNSKNSK  Vkksks,  130/ 
Norman  Induencc,  79. 

Octamktkic,  12. 
Octave,  40. 
Ode.  41. 

Onomatopfi'ia,  02. 
Oper.a,  144. 
Oratorio,  144. 

I'AI.IN-ODK,  144,  150.      , 

I'antoinn,  121. 

I'arody,  139,  144. 

Pasfjuinade,  144. 

Pastoral.  149. 

Pause,  2S,  71. 

Pentameter,  12. 

Pli rasing,  25. 

Piers  tiie  Plowman,  52. 

Pindaric,  41. 

Poems  wilbin  Poems,  151. 

Position,  105. 

Poulter's  Measure,  80. 

Prefixes,  9J». 

Proclitic,  7. 

Prologue,  144. 

Psalm,  144. 

Pyrrhic,  9,  20,  74,  88. 

QrANTiTY.  \,r,Of.,  105,  Knt,  112. 
(Juatrain,  34,  40. 
Queer  Devices,  151. 

Hkadino  Vkkhk,  08/ 

Ilecilative,  132. 

Kefrain.  s5. 

Kests,  L'7. 

Khyme.  3.  4.  43,  81,  102,  137. 

—  com|)licaleil,  49. 

—  double,  44. 

—  feminine,  44. 

—  idcnlii-al,  44. 


INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS. 


159 


rvhymc,  3,  4,  43,  80,  101,  137. 
— masculine,  44. 
— proper,  43. 
—  single,  44. 

Khyule-order,  34,  38,  39,  40. 
lUiyllun,  1,  4,  5,  I'J. 
Kliytlnnical  Prose,  2,  3. 
Itiuie-Koyal,  38,  47. 
Killing-rime,  93. 
lliniing-couplet,  80. 
IJondeau,  119. 
liondeau  Redouble,  123. 
llondel,  110,  118. 
llonndel,  119. 
Uun-on  Lines,  31,  92,  102. 

Sapphics,  113. 

Saturnian,  114. 

Septenarius,  113. 

Septenary,  80,  83. 

Sestette,  40. 

Scstina,  110,  124. 

Sevens,  35. 

Sevens  and  Sixes,  30. 

Short  Cliaucerian,  38. 

Short  Couplet,  82. 

Short  Metre,  35. 

Short  Trochaic,  132, 

Sicilian  Octave,  124. 

Sixes  and  Four,  36. 

Six-foot  Lines,  98. 

Slurring,  23,  99. 

Sonnet,  40,  41. 

Spenserian,  38,  39. 

Spondee,  9,  10,  20,  74,  89,  107. 

Stanza,  3,  4,  .33/.,  37,  38,  39,  41,  81 

—  four-line,  37. 

—  five-line,  37. 

—  six-line,  37. 

—  seven-line,  38. 

—  eight-line,  38. 

—  nine-line,  39. 

—  of  more  than  nine  lines,  150. 

—  tail-rhyme,  150. 


Stress,  1,  6. 

—  unequal,  C9. 
Strophe,  42,  144. 
Sub-letter,  52. 
Substitution,  19. 
Supernumerary  Syll.ablcs,  91. 

Taii-ritymk  Stanza,  39,  150. 

Tens,  30. 

Terza  llima,  50. 

'I'etrameter,  12. 

Tone-color,  4,  01/.,  81. 

'I'ragedy,  142. 

Travesty,  144. 

Trimeter,  12. 

Trimeter  Couplet,  98. 

Triolet,  120. 

Triple  Kliythm,  10. 

Triplet,  33,  46. 

Trochaic,  14,  35. 

—  monometer,  14. 

—  dimeter,  14. 

—  trimeter,  14,  85. 

—  tetrameter,  15,  80,  97,  133. 

—  pentameter,  15. 

—  hexameter,  15. 

—  heptamoter,  15. 

—  octameter,  15. 
Trochee,  9,  10,  20,  21,  74,  89. 
Trochee-spondee,  90. 

Unitif.s,  the  Three,  142. 
Unit  of  Ilhythm,  8,  19,  21,  33. 

Vej:s  pe  Soci6t6,  144. 
Verse,  1,  4,  33. 
Villanelle,  125,  155. 
Virelai,  121. 
Virelai  Nouveau,  122,  152. 

Wkak-km)1NOs,  92,  102. 
Wrenched  Acceut,  144. 


9 


[^ 


INDEX   OF   AUTHORS. 


Abbott,  E.  A.,  87,  08. 
Al(lricl),  T.  B.,  151. 
Arnold,  Matthew,  15,  111. 

Barliain,  R.  H.,  138. 

Baniig-GouKl,  S.,  10. 

Boker,  G.  H.,  18. 

Boiiar,  H.,  35. 

Browning,  Mrs.,  14,  15,  29,  40, 

49,  85,  90,  103,  111. 
Browning,    Robert,   10,   17,  21, 

48,  54,  65,  84. 
Bryant,  v,  30.  37. 
Burns,  13,  39,  45,  131, 
Butler,  Samuel,  138. 
Butler,  W.  A.,  134. 
Byroni,  John,  127. 
Byron,  10,  14,  17,  20,  24,  27,  29, 

75,  83,  80,  89,  138. 

Campbell,  16,  17,  37,  85,  8G. 

Campion,  14. 

Canning,  George,  137. 

Carey,  Patrick,  110. 

Cary.  Phrebe,  10. 

Catullus,  114. 

Chapman,  83. 

Chaucer,  13,  38,  39,  52,  53,  79, 

81,  82,  86,  93/.,  116,  151. 
Clmrchill,  53. 
Clougli,  A.  IL,  108,  109. 
Coleri.ige,  11,  21,  41,  45,  46,  47, 

lOG,  107,  108,  110,  147. 
Corson,  II.,  94. 
Cowper,  13,  16,  88. 

Daniel,  40. 

Dante,  130. 

Dickens,  2. 

Dobson,  Austin,  116,  118,  126,  15 

Dr.iytoii,  16,  17,  64,  S3,  86,  15(i. 


39, 


80, 


73, 


Dnunniond  of  Hawthorndcn,  116. 

Drydcn,  14,  30,  65,  70. 

Eliot,  George,  17,  40. 
Ellis,  A.  J.,  87. 
Emerson,  R.  W.,  5,  47. 
Everett,  Edward,  2. 

Fitzgerald,  Edward,  47. 
Flcay,  F.  G.,  93,  98. 
Franklin,  v. 
Furness,  W.  U.,  35. 

Garnett,  Richard,  124. 

Goldsmith,  46. 

Gosse,  E.  W.,  41,  115,  124,  128,  155. 

Gower,  82,  116. 

Gray,  9,  42,  85. 

Greene,  Robert,  52,  83. 

Guest,  93. 

Harte,  Bret,  131. 

Heber,  18,  25. 

Hemans,  Mrs.,  15, 

Henley,  W.  E.,  116,  126. 

Herbert,  George,  37,  48,  147,  151. 

Herbert  of  Cherbury,  47. 

Derrick,  13. 

Hodgson,  S.  n.,  10,  77,  78,  86,  88, 

108. 
Hogg,  10. 
Holmes,  103,  1.38. 
Hood,  12,  26,  27,  48,  132,  134,  1.36, 

138. 
Horace,  1 1 2. 
Hunt,  Leigh,  15. 

Irving,  2. 

.lonpon,  Ben,  15,  42,  17,  96. 


161 


102 


ENGLISH   VERSIFICATION. 


Ke.iLs,  30,  -10,  40.  Go. 

Kiiigsley,  Charles,  16,  27,  80,  107. 

Lamb,  111. 

Laiin,  Aiulrew,  110. 

laaiiiiT,  Sulney,  1.35. 

Lavaiiion,  !S2. 

LlIhiuI,  Ciiarlos  G.,  130. 

LfVfr,  Charles,  134. 

Lockhart,  J.  G.,  G.'j. 

Lon-fellow,  13,  10,  17,  IS,  4.''>,  47, 

i)S,  (W,  84,  8(},  103,  107,  113,  147, 

1.->1. 
Lowell,  J.  K.,  41,  44,  GO,  93,  VVi. 
Lyle,  11.  F.,  30. 

Macaulay,  i-i.'). 

Marlowe,   13,  29,  44,  85,  91,  93,  00/. 

Massoii,  S7. 

Mattliews,  Brainier,  121. 

Mayor,  J.  IJ.,  20,  O'j.  90,  103. 

Milton,  13,  24,  28,  29,  30,  32,  40,  44, 

;■).'),  (W.,  70.  7(5,  85,  87,  88,  89,  90, 

91.  93,  103. 
Monl;,'oiiiery,  J.,  30. 
Moore,  10.  14.  10, 
Motlicr  Goose,  1 14. 
Miiiiby,  A.  J.,  49,  108,  109,  150. 

Omar  Khayyam,  47. 

I'atinoro.  Covnitry.  87,  88,  147. 
I'ayne,  .lolin.  122,  123. 
rierpoiit,  .).,  lii}. 
riii.lar,  41. 

To.-.  4.  15.  48,  .W,  07.  85,  U."}. 
rope,  22.  2:i,  24,  29,  33,  44,  .59,  70, 
81,  IK),  10:5. 

Ilea.l,  T.  n.,  34,  .52,  .54,  S3,  117. 

Keeil,  Henry,  v. 

Kr)bl.ins.  .S.  I).,  7.5. 

Ifobert  of  (Jlotieeslor,  80,  8.3. 

I.'oblnson,  A.  Mary  F.,  121. 

llulfe,  W.  J.,  vii,  101. 


Rosetti,  13. 

Ruskin,  09,  70,  77,  78,  88. 


Saxe,  .1.  ^  1.32.  130. 

Scliiller.  Wh,  lOS. 

Sciiipper,  79,  1.50. 

ScoUanl.  (  lintou,  117. 

Scott,  10,  10,  20,  27,  28. 

Sh.akespeare,  20,  21,  24,  .30,  .37,  40, 
41,  4S,  53,  54,  04,  (',5,  00,  70,  8;5, 
88,  89,  90.  92,  93,  90,  97/.,  151. 

.Sbellev,  10,  20.  50. 

.Sh.Tman.  F.  I).  119. 

.Sidn.-y,  .Sir  Piiilip,  108,  109,  110. 

Skelion.  82. 

.Smith.  Horace,  1.39. 

.Snjitli,  .James.   139. 

Sniitli,  S.  F.,  30. 

.Soulbey,  14,  m.  107.  113. 

Spenser.   14,  30,  .39,  40. 

Siol.laril,  U.  H..  147.. 

Story,  W.  W.,  IX. 

.Surrey.  40,  8;).  81.  K^.  80,  91.  93,  94/. 

Swinburne,  10.  15,  17,  .54.  SI,  108, 
110,  113,  114.  118.  120,  154. 

Symonds,  J.  A.,  87,  95. 

Taylor,  llavanl,  41,  147. 

'leiinyson,:!,  13,  15,  17.  20,  24,  27, 
2S,  2.1,  .30.  33,  34.  37.  .38,  41,  44, 
45.  40,  47,  4S,  :,2,  54.  04.  05.  07, 
83.  S5,  SO,  S9,  90,  91,  KCl,  10«, 
10,),   110,  112,  114,  147,  101. 

Thack''rav.  135. 

TrovvbrJilge,  J.  T.,  137. 

Virgil,  57,  81. 

Warton.  95. 
Watts,  lsa:ic,  34,  30. 
Wesley,  C,  3.5. 
Wiiite,  (;leeson,  110. 
Wliittier,  151. 
Williams.  W..  35. 
Wood  worth,  S.,  10.80. 
Wor.lsworlh,  3,  14,  29,  30,  40,  41,  42, 
147. 
I  Wv.ili.  40. 


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